The Maple Leafs are getting their superstar back. Auston Matthews will return to the lineup Saturday night when Toronto faces the Boston Bruins.
The 27-year-old center has been stuck on the sidelines for the last six games with a nagging upper-body injury – the same one that forced him to miss nine games back in November.
It’s been a tough season for Matthews, who even had to travel to Germany to get his injury checked out. He’s admitted this might be something he’ll have to deal with all year.
But he’s not easing back in. Matthews plans to jump right into both weekend games, taking his usual spot on the top line with Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner.
The numbers tell the story of his disrupted season. Despite missing 15 games, Matthews has still managed to rack up 11 goals and 12 assists in 24 games – good enough for fourth in team scoring.
That’s pretty solid for most players, but it’s not quite the Matthews we’re used to seeing. This is a guy who’s hit 60+ goals and 100+ points twice in the last three years.
Then again, the whole team isn’t scoring like they used to. Under new coach Craig Berube, the Leafs have moved away from the high-flying style they showed with Sheldon Keefe behind the bench.
The timing works out perfectly for Matthews’ return. The Leafs just sent defenseman Marshall Rifai back to the Marlies yesterday, opening up a roster spot without needing any other moves.
