Auston Matthews has received a lot of negative reception at the Bell Centre (Source: Getty Images)

The reception for Auston Matthews’ introduction as the Team USA captain before the first game of the 4 Nations Face Off at the Bell Centre in Montreal mirrored the recent treatment of American clubs and the anthem in Canadian NHL arenas amid rising geopolitical tensions between the two countries.

As the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, long-time rivals of the Montreal Canadiens, Matthews has frequently faced boos from the Bell Centre crowd. This reaction intensified when he donned the ‘C’ on his Team USA jersey. After the game, Matthews stated that he felt respected by the reaction:

“Yeah, definitely. I mean, like I said, we played here, you know, quite a bit. And I’m pretty accustomed to the boos, especially in this building. So, like I said, I take it as a good thing or maybe as a sign of respect. But,like I said, this is a great building to play in on the road. And it’s always a great atmosphere in here. So, I think it’s something that you look forward to.”

His words were echoed by former Team USA representative and father of the Tkachuk brothers, Keith Tkachuk. Making an appearance on the Jackie Redmond Show, Tkachuk said:

“If I’m Auston, I’m honored. That means he’s good—it means he matters, right? If they don’t say anything to you, maybe you should pick up the pace. Canadians are loyal people, and they want to beat the US.” (6:20).

The controversy surrounding the Star-Spangled Banner being universally booed in Canada has extended beyond just Matthews. As the tournament moved to Boston, the Canadian anthem received a similar reception at the TD Garden. This has added even more excitement to the final rematch, with both countries determined to win at any cost.

Keith Tkachuk proud of his sons’ contributions to Team USA’s success

The Tkachuk family has long been considered part of NHL heritage, but after the 4 Nations Face Off, tension with Canadian fans is rising. Keith Tkachuk, a proud member of Team USA’s lineup in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, has passed the torch to his sons, Matthew and Brady, who are following in his footsteps for their country:

“Representing your country means a lot to our family. Even though my wife’s Canadian, she’s American now. It’s just history—something bigger than you. The Stanley Cup is still the ultimate goal for these players, but to do it on an international stage like this will mean the world to us,” Tkachuk said (8:58).

Both brothers have made headlines in the tournament, scoring four goals in Team USA’s 6-1 win in the opener against Team Finland. They were also involved in a confrontation, including J.T. Miller, who instigated fights at the start of the game against Team Canada.