Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has been making headlines since his performance on the ice in Team USA men’s gold medal defeat against Team Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The NHL star walked away with three goals and four assists, allowing the team to win their first Olympic gold medal since 1980 with a 2-1 overtime win. But Matthews might be getting some attention for something less sports related this week.
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Matthews, who is notoriously private about his life, went Instagram official with his girlfriend Vanessa Piunno on Tuesday, after she shared photos from the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
The photos, which included two photos of Matthews and Piunno in Italy, were captioned: “A month to remember forever.”
According to her Instagram bio, Piunno is a skincare specialist based in Toronto, which could point to something more important to hockey enthusiasts and Matthews fans: that Matthews could be staying with the Leafs for the long haul.
While he re-signed with the Leafs back in 2023 for a four contract, there’s been endless speculation whether Toronto would be his long-term home in the coming years.
Those wondering about Matthews’ future with the team might feel some hope knowing that his new relationship has roots in the city. It points to good news for some fans, but some are having mixed feelings about the famed team captain after he joined his team at the White House to visit U.S. President Donald Trump.
Relations remain tense between Canada and the U.S., partly due to Trump’s tariff threats and even a social post made by the president showcasing an AI generated video of him punching out a Canadian hockey player to win gold. It’s fair to say some Leafs fans are reluctant to cheer on Matthews as he plays on the team, even if he is American.
Accepting Trump’s invite to the White House has caused some online debate, according to some comments made including on this Reddit thread:
“The last thing this man needs is to be on video sitting in the House gallery tonight while Trump rants to the nation about how if Canada had accepted his invitation to become the 51st state, all their great players could be sitting there with gold medals too,” read one comment.
Another stated: “Matthews captaining a Canadian team and being paraded up on stage with a smile to disparage Canada while his team needs him doesn’t and shouldn’t sit right with any Canadian.”
In another twist to the story, his girlfriend was also seen wearing Team USA apparel in her post, sporting a couple of jackets with the team’s name on them.
To say it’s another layer of betrayal to Canada or just friendly support for her boyfriend’s team is up to fan discourse.
