In a promising development for the Toronto Maple Leafs, star center Auston Matthews returned to practice Monday for the first time since aggravating an undisclosed injury on December 20th. The 27-year-old captain skated for about 30 minutes with his teammates but did not participate in power play drills, according to reports from the rink.
While Matthews’ presence on the ice was an encouraging sign, Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed that the 2-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s home tilt against the New York Islanders. It will mark the 5th consecutive game missed by Matthews as he continues to recover from the lingering injury that has hampered him since training camp.
He did a good job in practice today, I thought, and I think he feels pretty good. So, we’ll go from there.
– Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube on Auston Matthews
Matthews Making Progress But Leafs Remain Cautious
Despite sitting out nearly two weeks, Matthews still ranks among the NHL’s top goal scorers this season with 11 tallies in 24 games played. The 2017 Calder Trophy winner also missed 9 contests in November due to the same undisclosed ailment before returning with a 4-game goal streak.
While getting their best player back in the lineup would provide a major boost, the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs are wisely taking a cautious approach with Matthews to avoid any setbacks. Toronto’s depth has helped the club maintain a 100-point pace even without its top gun.
- Matthews initially suffered the injury during training camp
- He missed 9 games in November before returning to action
- The injury was reaggravated in a Dec. 20 win vs. Buffalo
Leafs Look to Keep Rolling vs. Islanders
Toronto currently sits tied with the Florida Panthers atop the Atlantic Division standings with 46 points apiece. Thanks to reliable secondary scoring and strong team defense, the Leafs have gone 5-2-1 over their last 8 games even with Matthews sidelined for a significant chunk of that stretch.
The surging Islanders present the next challenge for the Matthews-less Maple Leafs. Following Tuesday’s game at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto will visit UBS Arena on Thursday for a rematch with New York. It remains to be seen if Matthews will be ready to suit up by then.
We’ve responded well without him but obviously we’re a better team when he’s in the lineup. The guys have done a good job stepping up and we just need to keep playing the right way until he’s fully healthy.
– Leafs forward Mitch Marner on playing without Matthews
Matthews Aims to Pick Up Where He Left Off
Whenever Matthews does get the green light to return, he’ll look to regain the spectacular form he displayed last season. In 2021-22, the San Ramon native made NHL history by becoming the first player to score 60 goals in a season since Steven Stamkos in 2012. Matthews’ 60 goals were also the most ever by a U.S.-born player, surpassing Jimmy Carson’s 57 from 1987-88.
With his powerful shot and elite finishing ability, Matthews has quickly established himself as the NHL’s preeminent goal scorer. Since entering the league in 2016, no player has lit the lamp more frequently than Matthews and his 263 career goals. Remaining in the Rocket Richard Trophy race will be a tall task after missing so much time, but a healthy Matthews gives Toronto a game-breaking weapon few teams can match. For the Leafs and their fans, the hope is that Monday’s practice was the first step toward the face of the franchise recapturing his electrifying form.
