COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.), who currently serves as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and has been the most significant goal scorer since his arrival in the NHL in 2016-17, has been named captain of the U.S. Men’s National Team for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, which is set for Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.
An international tournament being staged by the NHL and NHLPA, the 4 Nations Face-Off will include teams of NHL players representing the U.S., Canada, Finland and Sweden.
Team USA’s leadership group will also include alternate captains Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.), who currently serves as an alternate captain for the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, and Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.), an alternate captain for the Boston Bruins.
"We are thrilled to have Auston, Matthew, and Charlie leading our team at the 4 Nations Face-Off," said Bill Guerin (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnesota Wild), general manager of the U.S. Men’s National Team and also president of hockey operations and general manager of the Minnesota Wild. "They all bring leadership skills in different ways, and together represent the drive, desire and passion we need in not only representing our country, but in helping achieve our ultimate goal.”
Matthews, Tkachuk and McAvoy have played together twice on the international stage for Team USA, helping the U.S. earn gold at the 2015 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship and bronze at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.
In addition, Matthews was also part of the gold medal-winning U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship and played for Team USA at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship and 2016 IIHF Men’s World Championship.
Team USA will open play in the 4 Nations Face-Off on Thursday, Feb. 13, in Montreal against Finland at the Bell Centre. Opening faceoff is set for 8 p.m. ET and tickets are available by clicking here. The game will be televised live by ESPN.
NOTES: Matthew Tkachuk’s father, Keith, served as an alternate captain of the championship-winning U.S. team at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and was an alternate captain for Team USA in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey … The three World Cup of Hockey tournaments staged by the NHL have included Wisconsin native Joe Pavelski as captain of Team USA for the 2016 event; Chris Chelios, from Illinois, as U.S. captain in 2004, and Brian Leetch, who was born in Texas but grew up in Connecticut, as captain of the championship-winning 1996 U.S. World Cup of Hockey entry … Follow Team USA on its 4 Nations Face-Off journey by clicking here.
Source: usahockey.com