Matthews has looked closer to himself since returning to game action on January 4 against the Boston Bruins – his second full comeback of the season. In the 11 games back in the lineup, Matthews has recorded at least a point in nine of those appearances – registering nine goals and six assists for a 15-point total.

TSN's Darren Dreger says Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has received the tremendous honour of being named captain of Team USA for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews addressed concerns regarding the significant decline in the team's offensive production following their third consecutive loss, a 3-1 defeat to the Minnesot

Jared Spurgeon and Marat Khusnutdinov scored in the first period, Filip Gustavsson stopped 31 shots, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1.

Squaring off with nearly identical records entering Wednesday’s contest, the Toronto Maple Leafs were presented with a key opportunity to get out of a rut against a quality Minnesota Wild team, with a four-game road trip on the horizon before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

The Minnesota Wild took care of business in their cross-conference matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs. By a score of 3-1, the Wild took down one of the top

Filip Gustavsson made 32 saves for the Minnesota Wild in a 3-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday. “We had really strong work ethic,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said.

The message, clearly, was received and understood, as Hynes’ team put together a 60-minute effort for its latest in a notable resume of road wins this season. The Wild got a pair of first period goals and played a strong defensive game in a 3-1 win in Toronto, beating the Maple Leafs in regulation for the first time since 2019.

It has come to this ahead of the teammates squaring off against each other. Hear it from the horse’s mouth in the video down below:

Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews, centre, tries to tip the puck in front of Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, right, as Jake Middleton, left, defends during the second period in Toronto on Jan. 29. Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press

TSN hockey insider Pierre LeBrun shared details about Auston Matthews' participation in the 4 Nations Face-Off for Team USA.