Leafs' Auston Matthews Has Decision to Make After 4 Nations Face-Off Announcement

Auston Matthews, who recently took one of the funniest penalties in recent memory, officially
has another ruling from the league to think about.

The NHL's upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, where Matthews is slated to represent the United States while teammate Jani Hakanpaa is expected to play for Finland, will be much more grueling than the usual NHL All-Star game, which isn't being played this year.

However, unlike the All-Star game, the NHL has announced that no players skipping the 4 Nations tournament to deal with injuries will be hit with a one game suspension.

The question was asked after Alex Pietrangelo of the Vegas Golden Knights withdrew from the 4 Nations Face-Off due to injury.

His decision very well could lead to others withdrawing, and while Matthews has been silencing his critics with his torrid scoring pace since his return from injury, there are still the "what ifs."

Not going to the 4 Nations Face-Off could give a star player plenty of time to rest up and fully heal just as the regular season's most important games get underway.

And, even if Matthews is 100 percent right now, there's also the risk of something happening during one of the 4 Nations Face-Off games, which will be much more intense than the usual All-Star gala.

Matthews, Hakanpaa, and all the other NHL players listed to 4 Nations Face-Off rosters have something to ponder with this announcement from the league. They have about two weeks to come to a decision.