Auston Matthews Aims to Play Physical Against Leafs Teammates at 4 Nations Face-Off
Photo credit: JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI /USA TODAY Sports
Auston Matthews spoke to the media about his desire to win the 4 Nations Face-Off for Team USA and emphasized that he won't hold back against his Leafs teammates.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are well-represented in the 4 Nations Face-Off, which kicks off tonight, February 12th, with Team Canada facing off against Team Sweden.
Auston Matthews was named captain of Team USA, William Nylander serves as an alternate captain for Team Sweden, and Mitch Marner was placed on the top line with Connor McDavid for Team Canada.
Although the Maple Leafs teammates are extremely close, they will now become temporary opponents, and they will need to compete as such. For Matthews, this doesn't seem like a problem.
In an article by David Alter, entitled "We All Understand We're Not On The Same Team": Auston Matthews Won't Hesitate to Hit Mitch Marner or William Nylander at 4 Nations Face-Off, Matthews commented on the opportunity to face his teammates and whether he would engage physically if necessary:
"I think we all understand we're not on the same team right now we're competitive. There's a lot of pride playing for your country so it doesn't really matter who you're going up against. You got to compete and try to outwork the other guy and physicality is a part of the game so."
This tournament is a dream for players, as there's something special about representing your country, especially with a trophy for your homeland, which was unveiled this week and looks absolutely stunning.
Mitch Marner also shared how important the tournament is to him personally, excited about the chance to play alongside one of his childhood idols, Canadian icon and team captain Sidney Crosby.
All four teams are eager to win, and while many NHL teammates will face off against each other, they are now representing a new crest and will strive to honour their respective countries.
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