Scathing report on Auston Matthews sparks rumors he could walk out on Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews is taking heat and this time it’s not just from frustrated fans. In a scathing column, Toronto Star reporter Damien Cox accused the Maple Leafs captain of “failing in every respect” following Team USA’s gold medal win at the Olympics.

After helping the Americans defeat Canada for the gold medal on Sunday, Matthews celebrated with teammates before attending a White House visit in Washington on Tuesday. By Wednesday night, he was back in the Leafs lineup, looking tired, going pointless, and taking what Cox described as a lazy third-period penalty in a 4–2 loss to Tampa Bay.

Cox questioned Matthews’ leadership, suggesting the captain should have prioritized rest and preparation instead of continuing celebrations during what he called a “whirlwind 72 hours.” With Toronto in a tight playoff race, the optics, he argued, couldn’t have been worse.

Matthews defended the White House visit.

“The team that wins the Stanley Cup every year accepts the White House invitation to go,” he told reporters. “So I think it’s just something that you do because we are proud Americans.”

But Cox countered that many athletes and teams have declined invitations in recent years, including the entire U.S. women’s hockey team.

Now the debate is raging.

Was Matthews simply honouring a commitment as Team USA captain? Or did he send the wrong message at the wrong time for a Leafs team fighting to secure its playoff spot?

Some fans have even suggested the mounting scrutiny in Toronto could factor into Matthews’ long-term future when free agency looms in two years.

In this market, every decision is magnified. And for Matthews, the spotlight just got hotter. And it probably won’t get any better following last night’s 5-1 loss to the Panthers in Florida.