Auston Matthews' chiropractor appears to slip in new context on injury behind his 69-to-33 goal drop

Just a couple of days ago, Auston Matthews appeared in an Instagram post next to Arizona-based chiropractor Shawn Robek. This subsequently led to speculation that the Toronto Maple Leafs captain was dealing with a potential lower back issue, given Robek's specialty as a practitioner.

Robek eventually spoke to TSN 1050's “First Up” crew, where he offered some insight into what he was treating Matthews for. This summer, Robek has been helping Matthews with his MCL recovery. An injury suffered after a hit from Radko Gudas last March.

I'm helping take care of his knee. And so I was part of the team in addressing the soft tissue structures associated with that injury… It's my job to clean up those tissues, make sure the joints are moving well, and teach him some intentional corrective exercise so we can make sure the joints are functioning optimally.

Elsewhere in the interview, Robek said Matthews' lower back was not a concern “this summer.” That comment adds another detail to Matthews' offseason health picture, but it does not establish that his undisclosed 2024-25 injury was related to his back.

HockeyPatrol is not independently diagnosing Matthews.

Robek's comments add context without identifying Matthews' 2024-25 injury

Matthews' injury problems from the 2024-25 season were left undisclosed, despite it being obvious he was dealing with something. He missed games and even traveled to Germany to go see a specialist.

When Robek posted Matthews on his Instagram just a few days ago, he explained just how much of a pleasure its been to have the captain in his office during the Summers. The two have a well-established relationship, and Matthews trusts him to give him the proper care. That said, Robek would know Matthews' history.

Robek's comments are notable because Matthews' 2024-25 injury was never publicly identified, but they should not be treated as confirmation of what was bothering him that season. What is clear is that Matthews' production changed dramatically while he was playing through an undisclosed issue.

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Matthews' 69-to-33 goal drop shows why the low-back clue matters

Auston Matthews went from playing 81 games in the 2023-24 season to 67 in the 2024-25 season. However, that is not enough to explain this kind of decline.

The real areas of concern are shots-per-game and shooting percentage. Matthews went from 4.56 shots-per-game to 3.9 shots-per-game. Furthermore, his shooting percentage went from 18.7 percent to 12.6 percent. A 6.1 percent decrease.

The captain also went from 20 power play goals to just 10. He also went from 48 five-on-five goals to 21.

Gary Roberts Performance notes that core strength plays an important role in shooting, passing, and skating. That helps explain why any injury affecting a player's movement or ability to generate force can matter for a scorer like Matthews, without establishing what specific issue he was dealing with in 2024-25.

Your core is arguably the most important attribute you can develop as a hockey player. It's responsible for shooting, passing, protecting the puck from opponents, and skating.

Robek's comments do not prove that just one injury is responsible for Auston Matthews' decline. However, his comments do provide context as far as Matthews' injury woes are concerned. With the Maple Leafs keeping Matthews' conditions under wraps, Robek has offered valuable information.

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