Jeremy Roenick Comments on Auston Matthews’ Growth as a Leader in the Olympics: ‘He Wants to Win for Toronto’

“He’s been one of the best scorers in the National Hockey League for the last seven, eight years. He’s gotten a lot of criticism there in Toronto because they can’t seem to get over the Blues in the first round, and he’s one of the best players in the league and one of the stars in the league,” he said. “That’s a lot of pressure to take on, and he does it with grace. He does it with a lot of thick skin. But he wants to win. He wants to win for Toronto. He wants to get over that hump, and I think this confidence builder could go a long way for him.”

Of course, Matthews is still looking for playoff success in the NHL that has eluded him throughout his career thus far, as the furthest he has gone was Game 7 of the second round. Roenick believes it will be up to Matthews whether he wants to prove he can translate Olympic success into a Stanley Cup for the Leafs.

That means he must provide the scoring touch he has always had, while maintaining the elite defensive play that was on full display in Milan.

“He was a difference maker, and I will say he had a lot of roles, and I think he really embraced those roles,” Roenick said. “His defensive play was tremendous. His ability to win face-offs and his ability to play 60 yards either way was incredible. As a captain, everyone looks up to him. I think he relished the opportunity to be that captain of that team. And it wasn’t just about scoring goals for Auston Matthews; he’s grown a lot as a player. I think he’s grown a lot as a man.”

Once the festivities for Team USA are over, Matthews and the Leafs will have a lot on their plates when it comes to making a playoff. They currently trail the Boston Bruins by six points for the final Wild Card spot in the East, and the next few games could determine whether or not they are sellers at the trade deadline.

Roenick believes the Leafs have what it takes to go on the road and qualify for the postseason for a 10th straight season.

“You get into the game mentally. You make a decision on how to play the game. You have to play the game correctly and with guts. You have to play it for your teammates, and you have to play it hard with tenacity and be a tough team to play against,” he said. “That’s what Toronto has to do. They have to decide, do they want to play with finesse and play offense and play a run-and-gun game, or do they want to get dirty in the trenches and be a tough team to play against and play a strong two-way hockey game and make a push. It’s all mental, it’s all preparation. So of course they can do it. They have the weapons to do it.”

You can watch the full interview below:

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