Auston Matthews injury update brings mixed news from the Maple Leafs
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Craig Berube's latest update on Auston Matthews is a mix of good and bad news. The captain is back on the ice and 'improving', but he's already been ruled out for Thursday's game against Columbus and still doesn't have a firm return date.
The Toronto Maple Leafs stopped their five-game losing skid on Tuesday with a 3-2 OT win over St. Louis and did so while incredibly short-handed.
Out were names like Auston Matthews, Anthony Stolarz, Chris Tanev, and now Matthew Knies and Nic Roy -- but their replacements performed admirably with call-ups like Jacob Quillan putting in a strong performance.
The big question now is when their injured players will actually return, and timelines are still moving targets based on the severity of each case.
Auston Matthews is the biggest name injured, as the team's captain has been out since Nov. 11 after taking a hit from Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov though recently took the ice in a very positive step forward.
What Craig Berube actually revealed about Auston Matthews today
Speaking to reporters after the team's practice on Wednesday, Berube gave an update regarding Matthews and explained that while he was on the mend, there's no definitive date for his return:
Matthews is coming along. Like, he's improving. Obviously, he won't play tomorrow.
Berube's update lines up with what GM Brad Treliving said earlier in the day, when he tried to offer some cautious optimism about Matthews' timeline:
Probably after Thursday, at least we get a little bit better sense of how things are responding. I don't anticipate too, too long.
It's unfortunate that Matthews won't be back for Thursday's game and there's still no concrete date for his return, which means Toronto is going to have to run with what they've got.
How this latest update affects the Leafs' plans in the short term
With Matthews still out, Toronto has to lean on both the usual stars like William Nylander and John Tavares, and on depth guys such as Matias Maccelli, Max Domi, and Bobby McMann to carry more of the load.
If this wave of injuries drags on much longer, the Leafs' depth is going to be tested harder than anyone expected this early in the season.
Toronto historically has had a good record with Matthews out of the lineup but the fact remains he is still a crucial part of the team and his return will benefit them, but for now they have to weather the storm.
Berube's job now is simple and brutal: keep the Leafs treading water in the standings so that when Matthews does come back, there's still something worth salvaging.
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