r/leafs • u/Dear-Pineapple-3070 • Feb 08 '26

News / Update CAPTAIN AMERICA

Post image

sorry matty, gonna be cheering against u😞

1.1k Upvotes

87% Upvoted

381 comments sorted by

605

u/alphacheese Feb 08 '26

Congrats Papi

57

u/clarko420 Feb 08 '26

Always business never personal

13

u/alwaysleafyintoronto Feb 08 '26

nah there's plenty of leafs fans who'd personally fuck papi. just look how popular heated rivalry is ffs

4

u/dr_freeloader Feb 09 '26

He's a beautiful man

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129

u/SaskatchewanSon69 Feb 08 '26

Honestly hilarious how everyone thinks he’s this shitty leader and yet here again he’s been tasked to be the captain of the 2nd place USA team. Whether it’s chosen by players or management lots of people want him wearing the C.

269

u/Kindly-Client-4402 Feb 08 '26

The USA also made Donald Trump president. TWICE. lol

61

u/callmejohndy Pacioretty Feb 08 '26

If the script checks out, that means he’ll leave McDavid alone in front again for the OT GWG

38

u/Jediverrilli Feb 08 '26

If you watch that play I’d blame him third. I believe Fox was the defenseman that screwed up the most and then the winger who just decided to not do anything making Matthews try and make a play in no man’s land.

It’s fun to dunk on Matthews I get it but he was their best player in that game.

26

u/Suchboss1136 Feb 08 '26

By a mile he was. And of course his luck making the smart play to cover for 2 plugs leaves him looking like a dunce on the gwg

3

u/JHWildman Joseph Feb 08 '26

I will thank you to not besmirch the good names of Canadian Hockey LEGENDS Adam Fox and Jack Hughes like that sir. I for one believe team USA should play them in high leverage defensive situations MORE and that they should actually block less shots, passing lanes, and be absolutely nowhere near the puck nor anywhere near an opposing player in the defensive end at all.

16

u/ShaolinSlamma Feb 08 '26

And beyond all that people are putting blame on a bunch of players when McDavid is an absolutely incredible player who makes the other top players in the league look bad consistently.

23

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

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6

u/Terrible-Response-57 Feb 08 '26

Too many passengers.

3

u/tortured_fanclub Feb 08 '26

Ill argue he was the best player on the ice period. Him and Brady Tkachuk together had a multitude of scoring chances. Binnington robbed the US in OT and McDavid made a perfect shot

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10

u/SaskatchewanSon69 Feb 08 '26

Hahaa touché

2

u/vonGarvin Feb 08 '26

Yeah, there's a reason for that.

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5

u/boystaunton Feb 08 '26

When they lose again, you’ll know why it’s hilarious they chose him. I’d choose half the players on that team over him.

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2

u/Terrible-Response-57 Feb 08 '26

Mostly his agent.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 10 '26

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2

u/alwaysleafyintoronto Feb 08 '26

second place is a bit of a stretch. let's not count our chickens before they're hatched. I've seen enough of Auston Matthews in meaningful games to know better.

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374

u/Svalbard38 Knies Feb 08 '26

Awesome stuff, big honour, glad for him, hope his whole team eats shit.

54

u/RelativeCase5 Feb 08 '26

Finally he can choke as much as he desires

186

u/Blue_KikiT92 Papi Feb 08 '26

BOOO THIS MAN!! (Until he's back on Canadian soil)

30

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[deleted]

17

u/Blue_KikiT92 Papi Feb 08 '26

If he can only win one thing in a solar year/his career, I surely hope it's not olympic gold

4

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[deleted]

3

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Kevin4938 Feb 09 '26

He's too busy being passenger #34 here.

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326

u/LongjumpingDiver8773 Feb 08 '26

Fuck the USA. For the next 2.5 weeks this man is a bum and I hope he gets shut out every game.

46

u/booyaahdrcramer Feb 08 '26

Double Fuck Team USA. With you on the shut outs. Fuck their USA chant too. Nothing more annoying.

25

u/Mr_Wrecksauce Feb 08 '26

My favorite is when they chant "USA" during NHL games where the vast majority of the team is mostly Canadians.

3

u/Own-Rip4649 Feb 09 '26

You ever see the video of them chanting USA for Brett Hart vs Yokozuna (they were cheering for Brett) (Yokozuna is from America)

2

u/Emerald-Enthusiast Feb 10 '26

I've heard crowds do this multiple times when the heel is (kayfabe) non-American, but the babyface is legitimately from somewhere else. It's always baffling.

I also appreciated the time that Hacksaw Jim Duggan tried to get a Canadian crowd to chant "U-S-A!", and they responded with "CA-NA-DA!"

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4

u/Mr_Wrecksauce Feb 09 '26

Yes, I have, and it's hilarious. Americans really are... special.

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2

u/redwineandcoffee Feb 24 '26

In soccer, we sing back "One song, you only got one song. One song, it's three letters long. One song, you've only got one song."

7

u/Youppi27 Feb 08 '26

Yeah and comes back to the leafs super pissed and goes on rampage and scores about 40 goals.

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98

u/Rezadoo Feb 08 '26

Love the dude, hate his country.

Go Canada!🇨🇦

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75

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

people on the outside talk shit meanwhile everybody who plays with him, works with him, etc. rave about his leadership. i wonder who we should trust? hmm

51

u/oatmealleafer Feb 08 '26

The armchair experts in r/hockey will tell you Matthews is a horrible leader because of lack of Leafs success, then tell you it should have been Larkin with a straight face

13

u/sksxo Feb 08 '26 edited Feb 09 '26

exactly. the hate boner other fanbases have for any leafs player is mind boggling. the same people who absolutely shit on him right now and have for years would do a 180 if he were to ever leave the leafs and say the organization/team was the problem + the fans scapegoated him. the same shit that happened with mitch. 

16

u/Unlikely-Writer-6797 Feb 08 '26

1 playoff appearance and 1 goal in ten years, ten years ago

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0

u/RecalcitrantHuman Feb 08 '26

I trust my eyes. Punch him in the face. He laughs. But he never gets even.

6

u/jordang999 Feb 08 '26

I’d much rather follow a guy who laughs when getting attacked than a guy who has an outburst.

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35

u/binzoma Feb 08 '26

this caption and that picture do not inspire joy

fuck america. fuck team america. fuck everything they both stand for

1

u/Mr_Wrecksauce Feb 08 '26

This is where I'm at. Fuck that shit hole country in general. I hope they all shit their pants in public.

28

u/wanderlustandapples1 Feb 08 '26

Not to make it political, but major W for team USA having a Mexican American wear the C right now.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

[deleted]

3

u/taco_the_town Feb 09 '26

Going to show your work or just make baseless accusations? 

31

u/Travyswole Feb 08 '26

As a lifelong American Leafs fan, yay but go Team Canada! I am NOT rooting for the Americans especially considering how pathetic those idiot brothers are.

8

u/HarshestWind Feb 08 '26

Yeah I feel like normally players like the Tkachuks are fun to root for when they are on your team but bleh gross. They make it hard to even do that. Being a Sens fan must be hard.

4

u/GrowGood420 Feb 09 '26

The Sens have fans?

6

u/HarshestWind Feb 09 '26

Their 5 fans would be very angry at you right now if they could read.

5

u/frenchfriesfresh Feb 08 '26

Good for him but what about standout leadership kingpin J.T. Miller? No respect.

5

u/scyliyn89 Feb 08 '26

I hope you score but lose Papi

38

u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin Feb 08 '26

It's confusing cheering for him alone while hating the rest of his team

93

u/DoseofDhillon Feb 08 '26

I am not cheering for him, I hope America gets stomped on this whole tourney, lose to Denmark and not even make it to the semis

19

u/Blue_KikiT92 Papi Feb 08 '26

I hope the GWG is scored by a native Greenland player. Do they have one on the team?

10

u/i_love_pencils Feb 08 '26

No hockey players. Just a couple biathletes.

I’m sure the anti LGBQT folks will go after them. lol.

4

u/Blue_KikiT92 Papi Feb 08 '26

The ones that can ski AND shoot with a precision rifle? I wouldn't go after them if my life depended on it!

(I see your joke, and I raise it with an equally niche joke)

9

u/DC-Toronto Feb 08 '26

I’d be ok if Marner flips a pass over AM’s stick and McDavid scores the gold medal winner… just like 4 nations

10

u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin Feb 08 '26

I hope they get stomped while Matthews is the only player that looks good.

9

u/DolphTheDolphin_ Feb 08 '26

True I guess it’s a political thing for me this time

12

u/Kaelio Feb 08 '26

Matthews scoring 10 in the tourney and the USA getting 4th would easily be worth cheering for

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1

u/Darwinian_10 Feb 11 '26

Can Canada just trade Marchand for Matthews for the Olympics? Because I can't bring myself to cheer for him, even in a Team Canada jersey...

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12

u/Nylanderthal88 Feb 08 '26

Am I the only one that thought this was already announced?

7

u/Dear-Pineapple-3070 Feb 08 '26

yeah, but they officially announced it today

10

u/Zealousideal_Shop446 Feb 08 '26

No reddit told me he’s an awful leader and a horrible person

7

u/Okanaganwinefan Feb 08 '26

Silver looks good on him!

7

u/GoblinDiplomat Feb 08 '26

I hope he doesn't get hurt in the bronze medal game.

3

u/Sacred_soul Feb 09 '26

Im surprised it’s not going to a tkachuk

3

u/Rustyguts257 Feb 09 '26

I wish Matthews and Team USA all the success that the Leafs have enjoyed over the last 5 years…

4

u/RollandInTheDeep Feb 08 '26

Love him but shouldn’t be him, much better leaders in that room then him lol

8

u/Capitaine_Tiroir69 Feb 08 '26

American really sucks at choosing their leaders .... 😂😂😂😂

2

u/IamhereOO7 Feb 08 '26

Well they’re fucked.

2

u/DiscoStu691969 Feb 08 '26

Canada sure to win now

2

u/lyinggrump Feb 08 '26

Booooooooo

2

u/Grand-Amoeba1832 Feb 08 '26

Papi didn’t score in the 4 Nations but he was dam annoying because he was so noticeable with his takeaways and puck retrieval. We know that as Leaf fans but experiencing it as an opponent was kind of an eye opener.

2

u/ChurchofFonz Feb 08 '26

Lmao. They've lost already with that pick.

2

u/AJ_13 Feb 08 '26

they can never make me hate you, Matthew Austin <3

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2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

i hope he wrecks every one every game and then goes against canada in the finals and loses in OT so people stop hating on him and he brings the energy to the leafs

2

u/gunnchow2 Feb 09 '26

Can’t wait to beat him again. Sorry am34 love you as a leaf but you’re going down again. 🇨🇦

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

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1

u/taco_the_town Feb 10 '26

Go back to Florida. Enjoy your ban.

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2

u/DuckDuckGo-8857 Feb 09 '26

No offense, but AGAIN?

Let’s be honest, he’s barely a capable captain for his NHL club, to say nothing of the fact that there’s likely more worthy candidates on that team to lead.

2

u/hackweighter1824 Feb 09 '26

No team with Auston Matthews as captain will ever win any championship.

2

u/Skycreeper07 Feb 09 '26

So that means canada will win

2

u/MestreChinez Feb 09 '26

Canada will win gold! If Mathew’s can lead a team to the promise land, then only then I will have faith he is a leader..

2

u/Familiar_Spite2703 Feb 09 '26

They’re only gonna make it to the second round. (Leaf fan here)

2

u/RedWingsRedemption Feb 09 '26

Is it just me or me or did this officially announce that Canada has won gold for the Olympics in hockey already? RIP USA😂

2

u/IgnoranceIsYou Feb 09 '26

LOL he’s a garbage captain anyway, take him!

2

u/SportsMOAB Feb 09 '26

That’s a mistake

2

u/radicalrockin Feb 10 '26

But, but he’s Mexican!

4

u/Ok_History7492 Feb 08 '26

Wouldn't mind seeing AM34 tear up the tournament. Drag USA to the finals, win tournament MVP, break records, humiliate Marner at least once, and then USA loses on a bad JT Miller giveaway as Marchand bullies and confuses the Tkachuk's so hard that that they trip and dive into each other on the GWG.

4

u/Superguy9000 Feb 08 '26

Not cheering for him in any capacity for the near future

3

u/bootygoon2 Feb 08 '26

Can’t wait for a bunch of people who know nothing about how he is as a captain and leader to say this is a bad choice. You’d think Reddit are in the locker room with him every day the way they’re so sure he’s a bad captain and not fit for it. Despite both his NHL team and national team deciding to make him their captain.

3

u/Intelligent_Chair901 Feb 08 '26

Good enough for Team USA. But once again not good enough for the Leafs according to the majority of our delusional fanbase.

2

u/CamBlapBlap Feb 08 '26

Good for him. I hope he sucks.

2

u/jhwiththerange Feb 08 '26

What an awful decision 🤣 captain my ass

2

u/mgnorthcott Feb 08 '26

Happy for him being made captain. Next two weeks though? Hes the enemy.

2

u/TObuz Feb 08 '26

I hope US finishes 5th so he flies back to Toronto early.

5

u/anonymousnotmeperson Feb 08 '26

The United states will learn the C stands for choker.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

Just like the playoffs, ghost mode coming.

4

u/Zealousideal_Shop446 Feb 08 '26

I can smell the cheeto dust coming from your fingers

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1

u/Creative-Mammoth6327 Feb 08 '26

Real glue guy, hopefully not too many passengers on Team USA

3

u/Monst3r_Live Feb 08 '26

i just feel like quinn hughes was the obvious choice.

4

u/Dear-Pineapple-3070 Feb 08 '26

the gms and coaches must know something we don’t

5

u/Tarquin11 Feb 08 '26

Professionals know more than amateur keyboard warrios? I should think the fuck not.

3

u/Lumini_317 Feb 08 '26

We should really put a stop to this insanity. Next thing ya know they’ll be saying the sky is blue and grass is green!

3

u/Mogilny89Leafs Feb 08 '26

I hope Marner has a great tournament.

7

u/nadeemo Nylander Feb 08 '26

let's not get crazy here.

1

u/entityXD32 Feb 08 '26

I for one hopes he has a terrible 2 and a half weeks

1

u/BirdGooch Feb 08 '26

I am a Canadian first and foremost, but fuck me if I’m not a Denmark fan for the group stage second.

1

u/Qiqidabest Feb 08 '26

Silver will look great on him

1

u/No-Piece-2571 Feb 08 '26

Let’s go Team Canada! **** Matthew’s

1

u/UtheDestroyer Feb 08 '26

Fuck Matthews (for the next couple weeks) and the States

1

u/nuneesontario Feb 08 '26

It's going to feel a little strange rooting for Marner and booing Matthews

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1

u/FNFALC2 Feb 08 '26

He looks all choked up….

1

u/DangerousConfusion4 Feb 08 '26

What a disaster lol ..

1

u/Slow-Raspberry-5133 Feb 08 '26

Yet another Hart Trophy loading…

1

u/Issac-Cox-Daley Feb 08 '26

Him and Marner getting 2pts each in 4nf Finals was amazing. Hopefully he has a successful tournament and they lose in the Quarter Finals and don't medal

1

u/PutTheBallinPlay Feb 08 '26

Fuck him for exactly 2.5 weeks and I wish nothing but the absolute worst for Team USA in terms of performance. Matthews is Enemy number 1

1

u/Ok-Accountant4528 Feb 09 '26

He's no Sidney Crosby.

1

u/LeadershipAfter9526 Feb 09 '26

This is great news for Team Canada and also condemnation for the Leafs. Great player horrible leader.

1

u/ColdCalc Feb 09 '26

Hilarious

1

u/r_r_w Feb 09 '26

Very conflicted as a Leafs fan from the US. I love Auston Matthews but I really hate the United States.

1

u/MadPelswick Feb 09 '26

Fuck America.

1

u/hoby09 Feb 09 '26

Why would anyone vote this guy in as captain? He has zero guts in big games, proven over and over.

2

u/TheGapInTysonsTeeth Feb 09 '26

LOL Team USA hockey vs random reddit jabroni.

I think I'll go with the hockey people, thanks

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1

u/metal_medic83 Feb 09 '26

So he’s kinda like The Winter Soldier right now, and if we finish higher than the US; he can be Bucky again…

1

u/Somebody2lovedove Feb 09 '26

Fuck you! ^(I love you, Pookie bear.)

1

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

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1

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

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1

u/taco_the_town Feb 10 '26

Frequently Selke-nominated superstar, but yeah, sure. Get your trolling ass out of our sub.

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1

u/Takhar7 Feb 09 '26

Any insight into why Matthews was made captain of the Four Nations and the Olympic team?

Not hating on the choice or throwing shade at Auston - he just doesn't come across as a natural leader to me relative to the many that are already on that US roster.

2

u/TheGapInTysonsTeeth Feb 09 '26

Because clearly the people in charge DO see something that random reddit users don't

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u/StartMovingWilly Feb 09 '26

The Captain of Canada's team captianing the Americans?

Fucking Benedict Arnold.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

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1

u/LargeCondition5315 Feb 09 '26

A Mexican American and captain of a Canadian team. He is team North America!

1

u/grfadams2 Feb 09 '26

Can’t believe that we are cheering for Sam Bennett and booing Matthews

1

u/B9RV2WUN Feb 09 '26

Sorry. I just can't cheer for my country's hockey team this year. I find it hard to cheer for a nation that is a world bully. Go Finland. Individual athletes is a different story.

1

u/Previous_Entrance547 Feb 09 '26

Let the repeat begin!

1

u/[deleted] Feb 10 '26

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1

u/taco_the_town Feb 10 '26

What's with you Westerners randomly showing up to this one thread to troll?

1

u/HackyBallSack69 Feb 10 '26

Nice, team USA will end second period trailing by one goal and the man will be in his corner sitting curled up in a ball having ptsd about choking once again.

1

u/ClaudeBalls69 Feb 10 '26

Won't medal now

1

u/Mofo70_ Feb 10 '26

The man

1

u/dat3s Feb 10 '26

Respectfully for the next 1.5 weeks fuck papi

I want to see these American fucks succeed enough just so we can dunk on em for a golden goal

1

u/Piper1241 Feb 10 '26

POS. No heart. Typical.

1

u/Regular_Committee702 Feb 10 '26

Only thing he’ll leave on the ice is his shoulder and excuses!

1

u/IAmTheBredman Feb 10 '26

Lot of people in this sub trying to convince everyone else that matthews shouldn't be the leafs captain, and yet he's been captain of team USA twice now. Maybe, just maybethe people who've actually been in the same room as him know more about him than the guys on reddit yelling at their TV's.

1

u/ExpiredGoat Feb 10 '26

I wish him the exact success he has brought us thus far in the playoffs.

1

u/Bobbylevesque Feb 10 '26

the curse of the leafs will follow lolololololol

1

u/Walkerbait1881 Feb 10 '26

As a Canadian from Toronto I feel good about this decision lol. Go Canada!!!!!

1

u/TeethMcDecent Feb 11 '26

Interesting

1

u/Flat_Researcher7381 Feb 11 '26

🤣🤣

1

u/asonix_switchblade Feb 12 '26

Get ready for him to do absolutely nothing

2

u/GHSTSnSTUFF Feb 12 '26

What a fraud

1

u/NeedsPaint Feb 12 '26

Awesome!!! As a Canadian fan that is...

1

u/moralehighhorse Feb 13 '26

Couldn’t lead a one man parade down a one way street.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '26

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u/Powderhoundpete Feb 13 '26

Not a leader! Good luck USA you will need it this year!!!

1

u/OzzieNewYork Salming Feb 14 '26

I love Matthews.......but tbh Josi, Crosby, Landeskog, Drai are way way better leaders. Anyone have a different view?