Auston Matthews just went Instagram official with his new girlfriend, Vanessa Piunno. On Tuesday, Piunno took to Instagram to share photos from the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina.
“A month to remember forever,” Piunno captioned a post that included her posing with Matthews after his gold medal win.
“I’m here for the hard launch,” a friend of Piunno and Matthews wrote.
“Living her best life,” wrote another.
“You’re the trophy wife,” another added.
Matthews was previously in a long-term relationship with Emily Ruttledge, a licensed primary therapist who lives in California. It’s unclear when the pair parted ways, since they kept their relationship extremely private.
But who is Auston Matthews’s new girlfriend, Vanessa Piunno? Keep reading to learn everything we know.
She’s been dating Matthews since 2025
Before the 26-year-old went grid official with Matthews, 28, she included a photo with the Toronto Maple Leafs captain in a 2025 year-end post.
“January to December, 2025 gave me more than I asked for,” her caption read. “So grateful.”
Piunno shared a photo from a trip to Arizona that featured Auston Matthews and his dog, Felix. (Image via Instagram/VanessaPiunno)
The post included photos from a trip to Arizona, where Matthews’s family lives. One photo featured the couple at sunset, with Matthews’s dog, Felix.
Piunno shared a photo from a beach getaway with Matthews in September 2025. (Image via Instagram/VanessaPiunno)
In a separate post from September 2025, Piunno shared vacation photos, which included who we now believe to be Matthews in the background.
She’s a skincare expert
Piunno is a certified medical aesthetician specializing in non-surgical treatments, including facials, dermaplaning, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and microneedling.
According to her Facebook page, she attended Vanier College in Montreal but has pivoted her career into training other aestheticians. She created her own education program, the Piunno Beauty Academy, which provides hands-on training in skincare services and resources for small-business owners.
She has her own clothing line
Piunno created the brand estecomfort, which focuses on “elevating comfort and style for aestheticians.” It’s a hybrid of functional loungewear for service providers, including hoodies and leggings sets, starting at $73.
She’s here, there and everywhere
Piunno travels often for training. Although she’s believed to be based in Toronto, she frequently travels to Vancouver and Montreal, where she has family.
She’s built a large online following on her own
While it’s likely her online following will grow after hard-launching her relationship with Matthews, Piunno already had more than 55,000 followers on Instagram.
While her Instagram is mostly business-focused, her TikTok account shares more of her life — including her go-to workouts and her favourite beauty products.
Grab a pen and paper because you’ll want to write down her skincare recommendations!
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