NHL Talk

Jake Guentzel Calls Out Media Over Criticism of Auston Matthews

Jake Guentzel doesn’t understand why Auston Matthews takes so much flak from the media.

by
Jackson Weber
February 16, 2026

Auston Matthews’ first two games of the Winter Olympics were nothing flashy: two points (one goal, one assist) while providing his typical solid two-way play. Pair that with the fact that many Americans weren’t thrilled with him being named captain to begin with, and there was plenty of negativity surrounding Matthews — whether it was actually deserved or not.

Perhaps the Toronto Maple Leafs superstar heard some of the noise, because he silenced much of that criticism on Sunday, racking up three points (two goals, one assist) and imposing his will on Team Germany, which had no answer for him. The performance had many eating their words, though it came as no surprise to his Team USA teammates.

Matthews’ linemate Jake Guentzel raved about his captain’s play postgame, questioning why he takes so much heat for what he believes is no good reason.

Guentzel said:

“He’s been great all tournament. You guys put a lot of heat on him for no reason. He’s just an unbelievable player and he plays in all situations,”

Assistant captain Matthew Tkachuk also praised Matthews, emphasizing that the team is following his lead: “He was awesome, he’s our captain, we’re following his lead.”

The 28-year-old now leads Team USA in scoring through the preliminary round, having tallied five points (three goals, two assists) in three games. Those numbers have him tied for fifth in tournament scoring, trailing only Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Sidney Crosby — not too shabby.

They’ll need him to continue leading the charge up front because when on his game, he’s undoubtedly their best player, and with potential matchups against Sweden or Canada looming, Matthews will be counted on to match their star power.

For now, he and the Americans will get two days off to rest and regroup ahead of Wednesday’s quarterfinal, where they will face the winner of seven-seed Sweden and 10-seed Latvia.

Next: Ex-NHLer Suggests Maple Leafs Get Star Defenseman for Auston Matthews