Leafs' Auston Matthews Embraces Villain Role at 4 Nations Face-Off, Has Message for Boo Birds

During the opening ceremony for the 4 Nations Face-Off last night, the fans let Auston Matthews and his Maple Leafs teammate William Nylander hear what they thought about the pair, booing them relentlessly while each grinned, amused by the reaction from the crowd at the Bell Centre.

The fans' reactions towards Matthews and Nylander weren't exactly surprising, given the longstanding Canadiens-Maple Leafs rivalry. However, they were willing to overlook the fact that Mitch Marner plays for the enemy, actually cheering the Leafs winger during the opening ceremony, due to the colour of his jersey and what it represents this time around.

For Auston Matthews, he knows full well that he was booed twice as hard because not only is he a Maple Leaf, but he's also the captain of Team USA -- the team that many view as the team to beat in the tournament.

Matthews did not appear bothered by the reception he received in Montreal, because he knows that he'll be cheered when Team USA plays in Boston next week. He also had a message for fans who booed him at the Bell Centre on Wednesday.

The 3-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner appears to be coming into the 4 Nations Face-Off very cocky and confident. Of course, coming into a tournament with Connor Hellebuyck, Jeremy Swayman and Jake Oettinger as your trio of netminders would give just about anyone a little bit of additional confidence.

Being the only player since Mario Lemieux back in the 1990's to score 69 goals in a season doesn't hurt either.

Matthews has always had that aura of confidence and he'll need it during this tournament, especially with the type of firepower Team Canada possesses.