Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews (34) celebrates his goal during second period NHL hockey action against the Tampa Lightning in Toronto, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. Matthews missed Thursday's practice and his status for the team's next two games is unclear.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
TORONTO – Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed Thursday’s practice and his status for the team’s next two games is unclear.
The star centre listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury also sat out Tuesday’s 4-0 victory over the Boston Bruins.
Head coach Craig Berube didn’t rule Matthews in or out of the lineup for Toronto’s upcoming home games – Friday against the Detroit Red Wings and Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens – when asked about his availability by reporters following Thursday’s skate.
Matthews, who has dealt with shoulder and wrist ailments in the past, has five goals and 11 points in 13 games this season. He last saw action Sunday when he picked up an assist and played more than 22 minutes in a 2-1 overtime road loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Berube, who added Matthews stayed off the ice entirely Thursday, said earlier this week his best player isn’t currently dealing with a wrist issue. The three-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy winner led the NHL with 69 goals in 2023-24 – the most in a single season in more than three decades.
Matthews, who was selected No. 1 overall at the 2016 draft, has 373 goals and 287 assists for 660 points across 575 regular-season games in his career. The 27-year-old former Hart Trophy winner as league MVP has added 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 55 playoff contests.
Leafs forward Max Domi centred the top line between Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies on Tuesday as Toronto improved to a surprising 36-19-2 all-time in the regular season minus Matthews.
The club also twice downed the Bruins without its star sniper in last spring’s seven-game loss in the first round of the playoffs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
