Auston Matthews plays a sport you don’t usually associate with flashy gold jewelry. Hockey, a notoriously cold game in more ways than one, is often defined by its stolid professionalism, from players wearing suits to every game to the endless “just gotta get pucks deep” soundbites that prioritize the team over the individual.
It’s notable, then, when a player brings a bit of panache to the ice. Matthews—one of the biggest stars in the NHL, and the face of one of the league’s most visible teams—made a golden statement on Monday night as his Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the Tampa Bay Lightning. During an idle moment on the bench, the camera lingered on Matthews, who was wearing a gold chain with a pendant that read “Papi.”
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Papi is one of many popular nicknames for Matthews, whose mother is Mexican. (One of the other fun monikers listed on Matthews’ Hockey Reference page is Big Cactus, a nod to him growing up in Arizona.) As the broadcast crew for Monday’s game exalted Matthews’ well-rounded performance, they also couldn’t help but be gleefully distracted by the chain, which Matthews has worn multiple times. There is perhaps no better encapsulation of Matthews’ whole deal than this 34-second clip. He’s got a sick nickname and an even sicker command of his sport.
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Wearing a chain during a game—much like in Major League Baseball—isn’t exactly uncommon in the NHL. But putting a little personal flair on one like Matthews does draw attention in a big way, and we’d like to see some other players get in on the fun. It is, of course, no coincidence that the Leafs won Monday’s game 5-3, Toronto’s third win in a row. Matthews tallied a goal and an assist, further proving the power of the Papi chain.
In his nine years with Toronto, the 27-year-old Matthews has won the Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) for his 2016-17 debut campaign, the Hart Trophy (MVP) in 2021-22, and the Richard Trophy (awarded to the league’s top goal scorer) three times. He’s also developed a friendship with vocal Maple Leafs supporter Justin Bieber, who himself is no slouch on skates. When Bieber and his wife Hailey welcomed their son, Jack, to the world in August, they were gifted a signed Leafs sweater from Matthews. Perhaps the Biebers can repay the favor by getting Matthews another necklace to add to the collection. And if the Leafs can finally break their Stanley Cup curse, winning it all for the first time since 1967 and snapping the league’s longest championship drought, expect to see a whole lot of imitation Papi chains bopping around Toronto.