Elliotte Friedman Provides Insight on Auston Matthews' Injury and What's Next for the Leafs Captain
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Further information is being shared on the injury to Maple Leafs' captain Auston Matthews by analyst Elliotte Friedman and what could potentially come next.
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews isn't producing at the rate that both fans and management have grown accustomed to seeing over the years.
While many have chalked it up to the fact that new head coach Craig Berube places an emphasis on team defense and back-checking rather than a run-and-gun offensive style of play.
To others it is becoming clear that Matthews continues to be affected by an injury that caused him to miss several games earlier in the year.
And now, top NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman is delivering bad news to Leafs fans about Matthews' health.
Auston Matthews Is Not Healthy: Elliotte Friedman
Per Friedman in his most recent "32 Thoughts" podcast, there's "no question" in his mind that Matthews continues to be hampered by an injury, which not only caused him to miss several games for the Leafs but even sit out for a contest during last month's 4 Nations Faceoff.
There's no question now - I think the biggest thing that everyone's looking at Toronto is Matthews. And he's missed time this year. Of course, he went overseas, went to Germany to get looked at.
He missed that one game during the 4 Nations... You can sense that Matthews, as captain - this is my guess - whatever he's dealing with, he wants to show that he can push his way through it, or deal with it as best he can while he's in the lineup.
I think he sees it as leadership by example, push his way through. But it's clear that he's bothered by something and wants to attack it the way he feels a captain should, which is to play his way through it.
He missed that one game during the 4 Nations... You can sense that Matthews, as captain - this is my guess - whatever he's dealing with, he wants to show that he can push his way through it, or deal with it as best he can while he's in the lineup.
I think he sees it as leadership by example, push his way through. But it's clear that he's bothered by something and wants to attack it the way he feels a captain should, which is to play his way through it.
It's a terrible conclusion given that Toronto needs Matthews at his best, and while it's admirable that he wants to grind through things, but he's useless if he can't make an impact and injuries are hampering his full potential on the ice.
Following Toronto's disappointing loss to the divisional foe Ottawa Senators, Matthews all but explicitly admitted to dealing with an injury.
In his first year as captain of the Leafs, Matthews has just 24 goals in 51 games, nowhere near the pace of last year's output of 69 goals and his third Rocket Richard Trophy win in the last 4 years.
The Maple Leafs and their captain will be able to get the ship sailing once again as they head into their Monday night game against Calgary with one goal in mind.
Just get a win.
| POLL | ||
MARS 17 | 498 ANSWERS Elliotte Friedman Provides Insight on Auston Matthews' Injury and What's Next for the Leafs Captain Will the lingering injury of Auston Matthews hurt the Maple Leafs in the playoffs? | ||
| Yes | 353 | 70.9 % |
| No | 145 | 29.1 % |
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