United States captain Austin Matthews speaks with the media following practice at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Brossard, Que. last year.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
Auston Matthews still remembers his first time seeing the red, white and blue flash across the screen.
A young hockey player with big dreams growing up in Arizona, he was six years old when Miracle hit theatres in February 2004.
The film recounts how the underdog United States upset the powerhouse Soviet Union in the medal round at the 1980 Olympic tournament. Mike Eruzione put the puck past Vladimir Myshkin for the winning goal in Lake Placid, N.Y., to clinch what would become known as the “Miracle on Ice” on the way to an improbable gold.
“Even today, it still kind of gives you chills,” Matthews said. “A very special moment.”
The United States hasn’t topped the podium on the men’s side at a Games since that team of college players stunned the dominant “Big Red Machine” before besting Finland to top the podium some 46 years ago.
“Belief that the U.S. could generate great players and compete on stages like the Olympics,” Matthews said of the impact. “Jump-started a lot of amazing things.”
The star centre is looking to help pen another chapter in American sporting lore with the NHL’s return at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games after the league skipped the 2018 tournament for financial reasons before 2022 plans were scuttled by COVID-19.
“A huge honour and privilege to be able to represent your country,” said Matthews, who captains the Toronto Maple Leafs and led the NHL with 69 goals in 2023-24. “Talking to people that have been able to compete in it, it’s definitely something special.”
The U.S. won silver in both 2002 and 2010 with its NHLers, but players from Matthews’ generation have yet to taste the full international stage until now.
United States captain Austin Matthews skates past goaltender Connor Hellebuyck during practice at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Brossard, Que. last year.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
“It means a lot,” said the 28-year-old. “The kind of opportunity not many people get.”
Matthews and the Americans will also be looking for revenge after falling just short at last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off – an appetizer ahead of the league’s Olympic reboot – to Canada in a spine-tingling final.
U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan saw both a fierce competitor and quiet leadership from his captain.
“He leads by example in a lot of ways, but his influence is significant on his teammates because of his ability to influence the game,” said the New York Rangers bench boss. “He hit a lot of posts … sometimes you can’t always control whether it goes in.
“But what you can control is the opportunity to get the looks both offensively, and then a diligence to play on the defensive side.”
Matthews liked what he saw from the Americans at 4 Nations as the men’s program looks to join the women atop the Olympic podium after they took gold in 2002 and 2018 to go along with silver medals in 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2022.
“The cohesiveness that we had throughout that tournament, the way that we played as a team, it didn’t matter what role you had,” said the former Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP. “Buy into your role and do what’s best for the team, and I thought everybody did that.
“That’s a sign of a great team.”
Matthews didn’t bite when asked about political tensions expected at the Olympics with the U.S., Canada and much of Europe currently at odds on several issues.
“You’re kind of aware of it,” he said. “There’s only so much that you can control.”
Matthews will potentially face a couple of his Maple Leafs teammates – William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson – if the U.S. ends up facing Sweden in the knockout round.
“Weird and interesting going up against teammates or guys that you’re pretty close with,” he said. “Go out there and do what you have to do.”
Matthews is also looking forward to getting to the Olympic village and seeing how other athletes operate, although these Games are more spread out than most, with only hockey, figure skating and speedskating located in Milan, and other sports scattered across Northern Italy.
“You have your process, and you know what you go through and the grind that it is,” he said. “You get to see, up close and personal, what it’s like to play different sports at that high of a level, and what they’ve gotta go through.
“You’ll get to share different perspectives.”
Matthews and some members of the U.S. squad are part of an NBC Olympics commercial featuring actor Jon Hamm that pokes fun at the rivalry with Canada coming off the heated 4 Nations.
“It wasn’t really my idea,” he said sheepishly, while also confirming Hamm wasn’t present when the players shot their portion. “All done in fun.”
The 30-second spot did, however, state in jest that bringing home “Canadian tears” would be the biggest prize of all.
So, who will be crying after the Olympic final?
“I don’t know,” Matthews said. “We’ll see.”