Auston Matthews embraced the hostile energy in Winnipeg as a sign of respect.
WINNIPEG — Auston Matthews thrives on energy from the crowd, both good and bad. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward was booed by fans of the Winnipeg Jets every time he touched the puck on Saturday. Clearly, it didn’t bother him, as the captain picked up a goal and an assist in a 4-3 overtime victory.
After the game, Matthews was asked about the reaction from the crowd.
"I don't mind. I mean, I think they're not booing for no reason, so I kind of just take it as it is and just have fun with it,” Matthews said. “A lot of times it's fun, especially when you're out on the right side of it like tonight".
Matthews is no stranger to hearing it in Winnipeg. Earlier in his career, Matthews heard it from Winnipeg fans as they got behind former Jet Patrik Laine when the two were the No. 1 and No. 2 selections in the 2016 NHL Draft, adding fuel to an already ignited rivalry between the two Canadian clubs.
More recently, Matthews heard boos in Montreal last year every time he touched the puck while captaining USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament last February.
"It’s something you just embrace and have fun with,” Matthews said at the time. "I mean, if you’re getting booed you must be doing something right. I take it as a good thing or maybe as a sign of respect".
The Leafs finished off a four-game road trip with a 2-1-1 record and are 6-2-1 in 2026. They are performing significantly better than they did in the first half of the season, which saw them move to last place in the Eastern Conference in the latter part of December. Much of that turnaround has been led by Matthews, who just looks like the elite player he has demonstrated himself to be in the past.
“He's been big time. Leading by example, doing all the little things, winning battles,” Bobby McMann said of Matthews. “You don't get those points and those goals without winning battles, being competitive, wanting to win games first and foremost, and that's how he contributes, leading like that and scoring and generating a lot of chances. So he's been stellar for us."