Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews’ status vs. Lightning still unclear with Team USA celebrating in DC

The Toronto Maple Leafs are preparing for a critical post-Olympic matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning this Wednesday, but the status of their captain, Auston Matthews, remains the subject of intense discussion. Matthews recently led Team USA to its first Olympic gold medal in nearly fifty years, culminating in a dramatic overtime victory against Canada in Milan.

Following the win, the American squad received a FaceTime call from President Donald Trump, who invited the team to attend the State of the Union in Washington to celebrate their achievement.

Matthews has been cautious about the logistics, stating that there are many moving parts regarding travel and that the team is currently keeping those specific plans in-house.

The celebration in the nation’s capital has created a scheduling challenge for several NHL clubs. According to Chris Johnston on X, as Team USA celebrates its gold medal today in Washington, the status of players involved remains under discussion as it pertains to their NHL availability.

Johnston further noted that while Matthews is expected to join the Maple Leafs in Tampa before Wednesday’s game, it is not yet clear if he will actually be in the lineup.

This uncertainty comes at a pivotal time for Toronto, as the team currently sits six points out of a playoff spot and desperately needs its captain to lead the final postseason push.

Matthews is not the only player navigating a quick turnaround.

While Swedish teammates William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson likely returned earlier following a quarterfinal exit, other gold medalists like Connor Hellebuyck and Connor McDavid also have games scheduled for Wednesday.

For the Maple Leafs, the decision on whether Matthews plays will likely depend on how quickly he can transition from the festivities in Washington to the ice in Florida.

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