NHL
The Toronto Maple Leafs have to win one other sport with out Auston Matthews to increase their season and provides their high scorer an opportunity to get wholesome sufficient to return.
Whether or not that would occur for Sport 7, ought to the Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins on Thursday, nonetheless hasn’t been decided.
In keeping with a number of sources briefed on the matter, the Leafs are taking a day-by-day method to Matthews’ restoration. He hasn’t but been dominated out for something past Sport 6, however he’s clearly coping with a major difficulty to overlook two potential elimination video games.
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One supply briefed on the matter mentioned Matthews taking part in a possible Sport 7 is unlikely. One other mentioned the staff is unsure at this level.
Given the extremely secretive nature of how groups function through the Stanley Cup playoffs, particular particulars about what’s ailing Matthews are troublesome to return by.
What is understood is that the 26-year-old performed via sickness in Video games 3 and 4 of the sequence earlier than struggling an harm on an innocuous hit whereas taking part in sick, based on the sources. Group medical doctors eliminated Matthews from the lineup through the second intermission of Sport 4 and he’s been unable to take part in a full staff skate since.
Whereas Matthews has taken to the ice every of the previous three days — he went via a 30-minute session with members of the participant improvement workers at Scotiabank Enviornment on Thursday morning — one of many sources mentioned it will be “reckless” for him to attempt to play via no matter is hampering him.
In video shot by The Hockey Information throughout Thursday’s session, Matthews may be seen performing drills the place he ideas pucks, cradles and releases passes and takes one-timers. He additionally skated far more than he did throughout a quick on-ice session at TD Backyard earlier than Sport 5 on Tuesday morning.
It appeared like progress.
The Leafs prolonged their season with out him within the lineup for a 2-1 extra time victory on Tuesday in Boston. Max Domi took Matthews’ spot on the highest line between Mitch Marner and Tyler Bertuzzi and went 12-2 within the faceoff dot whereas selecting up an help.
“Domes stepped up,” mentioned teammate Matthew Knies, who had the extra time winner for Toronto. “I feel guys like that may simply step up and play in these roles. I feel we collectively performed a staff sport and located a method to get a win.”
Added Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe: “It’s a little bit of the human-nature piece. You acknowledge all people’s bought to be higher (when lacking a participant of that caliber).”
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Earlier within the sequence, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery praised Matthews’ work ethic and known as him probably the most harmful man on the ice. That was the day after he scored the game-winning objective and added two assists throughout Toronto’s Sport 2 victory at TD Backyard.
“Finest objective scorer within the league since he got here in,” Montgomery mentioned Thursday morning. “Nice participant. However they performed nice with out him final sport.”
The Leafs solely performed one sport with out Matthews through the common season — beating Pittsburgh 7-0 on Dec. 16 whereas he was out sick — and haven’t beforehand seen him miss any playoff motion throughout his eight-year NHL profession.
It’s been a difficult sequence on the well being entrance for Toronto, which didn’t have William Nylander for the primary three video games as a result of an undisclosed difficulty after seeing him go well with up for each sport within the common season.
Winger Bobby McMann additionally hasn’t performed in any respect towards the Bruins due to a lower-body harm suffered on April 13.
However probably the most irreplaceable participant within the Leafs lineup is certainly Matthews, who’s coming off a 69-goal season. The staff has scored simply 9 objectives within the five-game sequence, though Boston is taking nothing with no consideration.
“It’s like when Nylander was out,” mentioned Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. “Possibly it modifications the dynamic of their staff. However they’re all highly effective weapons. Auston’s actually probably the most harmful man on the ice when he’s on the market. However I don’t assume their sport modified as a lot final sport. As a complete, they have been simply determined.
“If he was within the lineup, it in all probability would have been extra of the identical.”
Sadly for the Leafs, they could have to get used to taking part in with out him to show this into an prolonged playoff run.
(Picture: Claus Andersen / Getty Pictures)
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Chris Johnston is a senior author overlaying the NHL for The Athletic. He has twenty years of expertise as an NHL Insider, having appeared on Hockey Evening in Canada and the NHL Community earlier than becoming a member of TSN in 2021. He at the moment hosts the “Chris Johnston Present” on the Steve Dangle Podcast Community. He is written beforehand for the Toronto Star, Sportsnet and The Canadian Press. Comply with Chris on Twitter @reporterchris
