Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Confirms Stance Over Connor McDavid After His Toronto Dig

The NHL is not just about the intense hockey action on the ice but also about the bonds that players form over their games. Indeed, they are more than professionals off the rink, and Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid were part of a certain feature. Both of them starred in the latest McDonald’s campaign, which launched on January 7, dedicated to the brand’s 1997 campaign that featured legends Wayne Gretzky and Mats Sundin.

However, the two ice hockey stars from neighboring countries will be playing against each other in the NHL, as the Toronto Maple Leafs will be facing the Edmonton Oilers. While both of them were excited, Matthews shared his verdict on starring in the campaign with McDavid, as the Oilers captain had a sarcastic take the last time he set foot in Toronto.

As reported by The Hockey News, the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews, opened up after featuring in McDonald’s campaign with the Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, stating, “Definitely some long days. But it made it a little bit easier to have someone there with you and going through it all. In the end, it was fun to look back on. And, you know, kind of seeing them come out with the commercials and stuff. And just the history of that particular one. I mean, it’s pretty cool.”

On the ice, Matthews is a pro. But when it comes to starring in such campaigns for big brands, he always appreciates someone’s company. This time, he had the opportunity to work with McDavid, and he was delighted to collaborate with the Oilers captain to recreate a legendary 1997 campaign that featured both of the club’s iconic figures. But what was his personal take on the Oilers #97 ahead of their match at Rogers Place?

“We played together in the World Cup pretty early on. I mean, in both our careers. And then, you know, just spent time over the years, All-Star games, different situations. But, yeah, I mean, I have a ton of respect for him. A great person. Obviously, a very special player,” said the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Even though they aren’t personally that close, professionally, Matthews has a lot of respect for McDavid, especially on the ice.

Apart from his take on the Oilers’ captain, Matthews also added his thoughts on the new McDonald’s menu after their campaign, stating, “I tried it once. That’s it. Gotta stay on point during the season.” So he didn’t like it, did he? Not really. He’s in the middle of the season, and the stakes in the current campaign are high, for which he can’t afford to eat foods that are not on his diet.

The new additions to the McDonald’s menu after this campaign were McDavid’s “Big Mac-David” and Matthews’ “Smoky Quarter Papi,” with six other items inspired by the sport. This particular collaboration also showcased that even though they are from rival teams, the camaraderie is beyond all competitions on the ice. However, what was the sarcastic take of McDavid that everyone is talking about?

Connor McDavid goes candid ahead of match against the Toronto Maple Leafs

Just like the Edmonton Oilers, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a huge history in Canadian ice hockey. So with the two historic teams facing off, the Oilers’ captain, Connor McDavid, had a hot take. “I don’t have a lot of family that lives here anymore. It’s fun to play here. It’s always fun to leave here, as well. We get the five o’clock start time they come into our building, and we are forced to change our schedule around,” said the #97 of the Oilers.

So what’s McDavid’s connection with Toronto? While he was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, he spent a lot of his childhood in the Greater Toronto Area and played junior hockey. Growing up in the region, he surely became a product of Toronto hockey culture, but his fate was intertwined with the Edmonton Oilers in his professional career.

However, apart from his sarcastic take on the Maple Leafs, the Oilers’ captain is excited to play a match against the fellow Canadian NHL team at Rogers Place. It will be a home game for the Oilers, and it will be really important too, as the fans will expect them to keep first place in the Pacific Division of the league.