Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews named USA’s captain for 4 Nations Face-Off

Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has been chosen to lead the American squad at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, USA Hockey announced Thursday.

Through 36 appearances with the Maple Leafs this season, the first-year captain has registered 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points to sit fourth in team scoring.

A three-time winner of the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal scorer, the 27-year-old Arizona product has also had success on the international stage, underscored by a gold-medal finish at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 World Championship in which he led the United States with eight goals and 15 points and was later recognized as the tournament MVP.

Florida Panthers left winger Matthew Tkachuk and Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will serve as alternate captains.

Skating in his ninth NHL season, Tkachuk has scored at a point-per-game pace with the Panthers this season, netting 16 goals and 31 assists through 47 showings. Last season, the 27-year-old product of Scottsdale, Ariz., put up 88 points in 80 regular season outings before adding another six goals and 16 assists through 24 postseason appearances to help guide the Panthers to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship.

Internationally, Tkachuk played alongside Matthews at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, leading all American skaters with 10 assists and finishing third in team scoring with 12 points en route to top-three player recognition for the American squad.

For McAvoy, the 27-year-old Long Beach, N.Y., native has made 45 appearances with the Bruins this season in which he has tallied five goals and 15 assists for 20 points. In all, through 499 career contests, McAvoy has collected 58 goals with 239 assists for 297 points.

Rounding out participation at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, McAvoy put up four points in seven games en route to the gold-medal victory. McAvoy also saw success with the Americans at the 2017 World Juniors, where in serving as an alternate captain he finished fifth in team scoring and first among defensemen after posting six points in seven outings en route to a first-place finish.

The inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off will see Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States compete for supremacy. The tournament takes February 12-20 and will be co-hosted in Boston and Montreal.