Elliotte Friedman Reveals How Auston Matthews Plans to Battle Through His Injury
NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman gave some insight into how Auston Matthews plans to tackle his second return to the ice after his injury flare-up.
With the Maple Leafs finally getting their captain back after another stint on the shelf, they are focused solely on making an impact and securing themselves atop the Atlantic Division, and with a rejuvenated Matthews it's a real possibility.
Although a bit unsure if he was completely over his injury, Matthews came back against Boston with a vengeance. His line of Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies combined for 13 points and looked like the dominant force of old that propelled Toronto to so much success in recent years.
It was a huge step forward for the team, and for Matthews. But with questions surrounding whether or not he's fully healthy, he's going to make things work.
If Toronto wants to ensure that they have the best group possible heading forward, a healthy Matthews is key and if he can provide at least some of his past dominance it will be a huge boost overall.
According to Elliotte Friedman, Matthews has no plans on waiting either, and is going to work through his injury at any cost.
This is not about playing here or there. Matthews goal is to show he's healthy enough to play every game."
It's a great plan in theory but it does come with some inherent risks attached to the captain's confidence.
Auston Matthews Plans To Work On Staying In The Lineup At Any Cost
Traditionally, having your superstar captain say he is going to do what it takes to win and contribute is fantastic news, but for the Maple Leafs they need to exercise caution.
Fully admitting he was unsure if his injury was 100% behind him, Matthews clearly wants to be a part of the team and is sick of watching from the sidelines. But if he thinks he can be the same player he was, he may need to take a step back.
It's very risky for Matthews to throw himself into the fire especially only a couple of days removed from wondering if he's healthy himself. Proving that you can contribute and help out (which he did against Boston) is a noble and admirable cause but it comes with very dangerous territory.
If Boston's dirtier players wanted to make it easier for themselves they could have easily targeted an unsure Matthews. We've seen in the past a simple crosscheck to the side is enough to take him out, so imagine what a more forceful attack could have done.
Though he passed the eye test against Boston, the true test lies in the games ahead. Facing Philadelphia on Sunday and Tuesday, Carolina on Thursday and Vancouver on Saturday. It doesn't give the captain much time to rest if he happens to feel some discomfort at any point.
This season Matthews has had a slower start due to injury with only 12 goals and 14 assists as the team hopes he can kickstart things once again.
The Maple Leafs are 10-5-0 when Auston Matthews is out of the lineup.
