Craig Berube Provides Concerning Update On Auston Matthews' Health After Missing Morning Skate
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Auston Matthews missed the morning skate ahead of Friday's game against Buffalo and head coach Craig Berube didn't bring any relief with his comments as to why.
It was a tough month for the Maple Leafs as they were without their captain for a large stretch. They did well for themselves though, going 7-2-0 and showing that they can be just as deadly with Matthews on the shelf.
His return has led to some mixed results and while he has come in and scored a bit, there still isn't that dominant force fans come to expect. He missed practice ahead of Friday's game against Buffalo though he's expected to dress for the game.
Head coach Craig Berube tried to do his best to calm concerns about his superstar however relented he may not be 100% still:
"It's tough. He's fighting through it, and he's doing a pretty good job out there on the ice. He's producing and playing hard and working, and we just gotta manage it. It'll get better.
We just gotta manage it. And that's why he's off the ice today."
We just gotta manage it. And that's why he's off the ice today."
Should Toronto Be Concerned With Auston Matthews?
Although he's been back on the ice, Matthews hasn't showcased the form he had last season when he scored 69 goals.
Though he's been given a more defensive role from his head coach, it's still worrying that a quarter of the season through and he only has ten goals, and is on pace to have one of the lowest scoring seasons of his career.
His injury woes apparently continue to haunt him and the fact that there was so much secrecy and extra attention paid to Matthews and he still isn't performing shows Toronto may have had bigger concerns they tried to sweep under the rug.
There's no doubt Matthews is still as dangerous as ever but he's been overshadowed by Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares; not just because he's been injured but because they have showcased why they are just as impactful as their captain.
If Matthews isn't healthy yet and playing through his issues, it's best that he stays out of practice and saves his energy for when it matters.
But if these issues continue, Toronto has to make sure they get him healthy for good next time around.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 20 | 897 ANSWERS Craig Berube Provides Concerning Update On Auston Matthews' Health After Missing Morning Skate Are you concerned Auston Matthews is still hurt? | ||
| Yes | 763 | 85.1 % |
| No | 134 | 14.9 % |
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