Auston Matthews outlines his ambition to win Olympic gold in Milano Cortina

The 28-year-old outlined his ambitions for the upcoming tournament after Maple Leafs training at the Ford Performance Center on Monday.

“It’s obviously a huge honor and privilege to be able to represent and compete in your country,” Matthews said. “There’s a lot of things you’re excited about. First and foremost, I’m looking forward to hockey and being able to compete like this. I think everything else that comes with it, it’s definitely a very special experience.”

Matthews captained the United States national hockey team at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, where they lost to Canada in overtime in the gold medal game. Now he gets a chance to get revenge as he looks to lead the United States to its first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980.

“I think we feel like we’re on top,” Matthews said of Team USA’s chances of winning it all. “We should be competing for gold. It’s the first Olympics in a while since we’ve been able to consistently top there. You want to be the best country in the world, and this is a great opportunity.”

Matthews is in good form, leading all NHL players with eight goals in 5-on-5 play in January. This has also coincided with a volatile month for the Maple Leafs overall, where it has lost four straight games on home ice, and will look to correct course against the Buffalo Sabers on Tuesday, moving five points clear of a playoff spot ahead of Monday’s action.

“We’re all so excited for him,” Matthews said of Ekman-Larsson. “He’s a true professional. He’s been around for a long time. He does a lot for us on our team, plays a lot of tough minutes in all situations. I think it’s extremely well deserved that he’s been selected to play. He’s having an incredible year. He brings a lot more than just what you see, on the ice, off the ice, he does a lot of different things for your team.”