NHL analyst delivers decisive verdict on whether Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner must step up in 4 Nations final

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will play each other in the 4 Nations Face-Off final. The game will take place at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday. Both forwards play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but NHL analyst Bryan Hayes believes Matthews needs a big game more than Marner in the finals.

On Wednesday, Hayes shared his thoughts on Domino's "That's Hockey." He said Matthews, as Team USA’s captain, must step up.

“I think it's Auston Matthews. I think it's definitively Auston Matthews because of what he represents to his team, he's the captain," Hayes said. "In this new era of American hockey, he is supposed to be at the forefront of it, and he has got to be expected to have a big, big game—a signature moment in his career on American soil.”

According to Hayes, Mitch Marner is important for Team Canada but is not a top leader.

“When I look at where Marner sits in with his Canadian team, I can give you five, seven, eight players that are more important to this team's success," Hayes said. "It's not a slight at Marner, it's just a reality of where he fits in on the pecking order of the Canadian roster.”

Auston Matthews has struggled this season due to injury. He missed 15 games and has only 20 goals and 45 points. Mitch Marner has been more productive, with 71 points, including 55 assists. But neither player has been outstanding in the tournament. Marner scored an overtime winner against Sweden but was later moved down the lineup. Meanwhile, Matthews has yet to score.

Hayes said Matthews must prove he can lead:

“Matthews is at the top of the American one. That's where he's supposed to be. He hasn't played to that level.”

Matthews has not scored in his last eight games, his second-longest drought since joining the NHL.

Bryan Hayes on 4 Nations's impact on Mitch Marner's contract

Mitch Marner’s future is also at a crossroads. His contract expires after this season, and a strong game could help his value. But Hayes said Leafs' GM Brad Treliving and President Brendan Shanahan focus more on players' performance for the team than international tournaments when negotiating contracts.

"Brad Treliving, Brendan Shanahan they're Canadians they'd love to see Mitch play great, they'd love to see Canada win," Hayes said. "But they're going to be defining their team and determining what they do in the future based on how these guys play for the Maple and that's always been at the core of the conversation with these players”

If Auston Matthews leads Team USA to victory, it could boost his confidence. But Hayes said it won’t change the pressure he faces in Toronto.