Auston Matthews Back on the Ice: Insider Reveals Possible Date of Return
Auston Matthews was seen skating for the Maple Leafs on Saturday in a very positive step towards his return from injury and could return as early as Tuesday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs got a huge morale boost on Saturday as captain Auston Matthews was seen skating on the ice getting some reps and working on his stickhandling, a day after retroactively being placed on the IR:
This is a very positive sign towards his eventual return, as Toronto has done quite well this season in his absence. History has shown that the Maple Leafs can succeed when their captain is on the shelf, sitting at a comfortable 37-19-2 record all-time.
Head coach Craig Berube updated everybody on Saturday, but is also positive towards Matthews' return, stating that him on the ice is a great sign and it won't be long before he's back:
It's also a relief to fans that Toronto can afford to be without their superstar goal-scorer and not have to fret about getting absolutely dominated every single night, which helps the players in turn, play better.
Toronto is more than likely headed back to the status quo once Matthews returns from injury as we'll see Max Domi slide back down to the third line; however, with the way that both Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson have played the last two games, it could end up working out for the Maple Leafs.
Matthews has been off to a slower start this season, however, the new duties given to him by head coach Craig Berube are more than likely responsible for his lack of scoring opportunities.
The real question is how Matthews will affect Toronto's sudden outburst of powerplay. They went from having only three goals in their first 13 games to exploding for five in their last two, including a trio against their rivals, the Boston Bruins. It would be tough to mess with a good thing, and maybe Matthews should take second-unit reps in the meantime.
While Matthews wouldn't be eligible to return until Tuesday against Ottawa, his return to the ice is a massive morale boost to the club and a sigh of relief for Maple Leafs fans everywhere. When he gets back on the ice, all we can hope is that he's healthy and ready to tear it up again.
