Who is Auston Matthews' girlfriend? Inside Toronto-based beauty entrepreneur Vanessa Piunno's life, career and romance with Leafs captain (Credit: Getty Images)Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is once again a hot topic off the ice as the 2026-27 NHL season approaches. Fans caught a new chapter in the star center’s personal life after Team USA’s gold-medal run at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with Toronto-based beauty entrepreneur Vanessa Piunno.The Toronto Maple Leafs star has a reputation for keeping his private life private and doesn’t often talk about his romantic life. However, recent social media posts involving Vanessa Piunno have generated a lot of interest among NHL fans, making the couple one of the biggest off-ice stories surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs.Auston Matthews and Vanessa Piunno relationship detailsToronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is currently dating Toronto-based skincare specialist and entrepreneur Vanessa Piunno. Matthews helped Team USA to a historic gold-medal run at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Their relationship went public shortly after.The NHL star is known for keeping his personal life quiet, and this revelation made it even more remarkable. Vanessa Piunno confirmed the romance after she posted social media snaps of special moments with Matthews, sparking interest in their relationship.How Auston Matthews and Vanessa Piunno went publicThe couple came to the spotlight after Vanessa Piunno’s Instagram posts during the Winter Olympics. In one post, she described the period as "a month to remember forever", with photos of the pair together.The timing came at one of Matthews’ most productive times in his career. With his performances in the Olympic tournament, he helped Team USA win its first men's hockey gold medal since the legendary 1980 Miracle on Ice team, bringing even more media attention to the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.Who is Vanessa Piunno and what is her professionVanessa Piunno is a Toronto-based beauty entrepreneur, skin-care expert, and owner of Piunno Beauty. Her business provides private skincare training and education services to build confidence and knowledge in her clients about skincare.She’s all about customization, taking skincare education to the next level for newbies and veterans alike. She has been making her mark in the beauty and wellness industry in Canada for years.What happened between Auston Matthews and Emily RuttledgeBefore being connected to Vanessa Piunno, Auston Matthews dated a licensed therapist, Emily Ruttledge, who resided in California.Both Matthews and Ruttledge kept their relationship largely private, rarely speaking of it publicly. Speculation around their status heated up after the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the arrival of Vanessa Piunno seemed to confirm that the Toronto Maple Leafs captain was in a different chapter of his personal life.Matthews gets ready for his next NHL campaign, and his off-ice relationship with Vanessa Piunno has become one of the league’s most talked-about storylines, drawing the attention of hockey fans across North America.