Thursday afternoon, Auston Matthews will lead Team USA in their first best-on-best Olympic tournament since 2014. And the pressure is high on Matthews, according to insider Bryan Hayes.
The Olympic hockey tournament kicked off on Wednesday, with Slovakia upsetting Finland 4-1. Later, Italy nearly shocked Sweden, but the Swedes eventually prevailed, winning 5-2.
READ MORE: Auston Matthews’ frosty words about William Nylander
Pressure on Auston Matthews
On Thursday, both Team Canada and Team USA make their tournament debuts. Canada will face Czechia, while the USA takes on Latvia. Both teams are expected to go far. In other words, Team USA, led by Auston Matthews, is under significant pressure. Team Canada won the last best-on-best tournament—the 4 Nations Faceoff in February—beating Team USA in overtime. Now, TSN insider Bryan Hayes adds even more pressure on Team USA, and Matthews in particular.
”He’s got to be great”
Speaking on SC with Jay Onrait, Hayes explained what’s at stake for Team USA and Auston Matthews:
“From 1998 onward, they’ve never won a gold medal. And this is probably the best team they’ve ever had. When you look at Auston Matthews in particular—his reputation is that he’s not clutch. It’s on Matthews to prove that’s not the reputation he’s going to have starting today and moving forward. If you’re the captain of a team like this, you’ve got to lead by example. He’s got to be great. He’s got to have a big, big moment in his career,” Hayes said.
You can watch the video below.
READ MORE: 2026 Olympic Hockey: Schedule, TV Times, and Rosters
