Auston Matthews #34 of Team United States speaks with head coach Mike Sullivan during training on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Sunday. Getty Images) Photo by Gregory Shamus /Getty ImagesArticle contentMILAN — It was a full day for Auston Matthews and one he’s not likely to forget any time soon.

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It started with the long charter flight here from North America, and continued with the Toronto Maple Leafs captain being officially assigned the same role for Team USA at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Article contentAnd weary as he must have been by the time his team took to the ice late Sunday afternoon, Matthews skated over the Olympic rings embedded below the surface at Santagiulia Arena where the men’s competition will begin later this week.

Advertisement 1 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() { const template = document.getElementById('oop-ad-template'); if (template && !template.dataset.adInjected) { const clone = template.content.cloneNode(true); template.replaceWith(clone); if (template.parentElement) { template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected = "true"; } } });Article content“It definitely hits you once you touch down and get to the Olympic village and get settled in, just how special and how cool it is here representing your country,” Matthews said following the brisk U.S. skate, which preceded Canada’s first practice.

While weary, Matthews seemed relaxed as he stopped in the mixed zone, trading Maple Leaf blue equipment for his red, white and blue USA gear. Like so many of his peers, exiting the grind of the condensed NHL season had to feel like a reprieve. And he’s excited to get on with the Olympic experience.

Matthews, who will stay in the Olympic athletes’ village like the rest of his teammates, said he intends to soak up everything that goes along with the global sporting spectacle.

“The experience, is what the Olympics are all about,” Matthews said. “It means a lot. To represent your country and wear the United States jersey.

“But obviously it means that much more when you’re doing it at a setting like the Olympics.”

Like so many of his fellow NHLers, Matthews had to wonder if this opportunity was ever going to arrive. When the best hockey players in the world previously played in the Olympics in Sochi 12 years ago, Matthews was a 16-year-old from Arizona emerging as an elite prospect.

Since then, he’s gone No. 1 overall in the NHL entry draft in 2016 and emerged as the leader of the Maple Leafs, along with all the pushes and pulls that go along with that role.

“It’s crazy to think that now that we’re here and have this opportunity, it’s very special,” Matthews said.

In his short time since arrival, Matthews was a captive observer of what was going on in the village, where he plans to soak up the experience to the fullest.

“It’s been cool,” the 28-year-old said. “I mean, you see athletes from all different sports, all different countries, different journeys.

“It’s a pretty intimate setting and you get to see what they go through on a daily basis compared to what you’re used to in your own respective sports. It’s just very, very cool to be a part of it.”

Team United States takes part during training at the Games. Photo by Gregory Shamus /Getty ImagesArticle contentIce looks goodArticle contentAs for the hot topic in the buildup to these Games – the conditions at Santagiulia – Matthews believes the surface is ready to handle the best players in the world.

“I mean, it looks good,” Matthews said. “I can’t image having to put together something like this with a limited amount of time. Pretty good job.

“The setup’s good. The ice is solid. It’s never going to be perfect but I think it’s pretty good.”

As for Matthews former linemate in Toronto, Mitch Marner had a special thrill of his own. Roughly an hour prior to the Canadian practice, he learned he was going to skate on a line with captain Sidney Crosby.

“I’m excited to talk to my dad and (tell him),” Marner said. “I mean, that guy’s an idol of a lot of kids growing up in Canada, still to this day.

“So to be on his wing, you learn from the last couple times we’ve got to hang out with him. It’s pretty special … no different here.”

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