The Toronto Maple Leafs have been put on notice as Auston Matthews could look to end his time with the organization.

The Canada–USA rivalry has taken on a life of its own of late, thanks to everything going on in the world right now. That was on full display when the Americans won gold at the Olympics — and particularly when captains of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators,

The Toronto Maple Leafs did as millions of North Americans did Sunday morning: They watched Canada play the United States in the Olympic men’s hockey gold medal game. The Leafs had a practice set to begin in a few hours, but one by one, most of the team gathered around a screen at their practice facility. They had national and personal allegiances.

For the first time in his career, Auston Matthews is reportedly no longer considered untouchable at the NHL trade deadline. While Toronto isn’t shopping him, teams are preparing offers and there has already been back-and-forth discussion.

Former ESPN host Keith Olbermann called his former “SportsCenter” colleague Linda Cohn a “self-obsessed politically motivated clown” following her remarks about Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews visiting the White House after Team USA’s gold medal win over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Searching for a spark to snap a three-game losing streak, the Maple Leafs are reuniting stars Auston Matthews and William Nylander as the reality of a ten-year playoff streak being broken begins to loom.

In the ad — which debuted on Monday night while the Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers faced off — Matthews and McDavid square off in their own miniature showdown, getting shrunk down to play with their own Star Sticks, which are new mini collectables at the fast-food chain.