Leafs Captain Auston Matthews Publicly Admits That His Injury May Be Long-Term
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has publicly admitted that his injury may be a longer-term issue than originally thought.
On Wednesday morning, Leafs coach Craig Berube confirmed Matthews would not return to the lineup on Thursday, meaning he will miss his sixth straight game since re-aggravating his upper-body injury against the Buffalo Sabres.
Matthews, who missed 9 games in November, spoke to reporters for the first time since the injury on December 20th and revealed that he isn't sure if he will be 100-percent again this season.
The 2016 first-overall pick also revealed that the cross-check from Buffalo Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert was part of what caused the re-aggravation, with Craig Berube confirming that Matthews not only re-aggravated his injury from November, but that something new also flared up.
In terms of a return date, Matthews was unsure, with Berube noting he would like to get him into at least one more practice, but prepares to play without him until he says he is ready.
Given the fact that Matthews confirmed he likely won't be fully healthy until the off-season, fans have grown very concerned and are questioning why the Leafs aren't shutting him down for the season or at least until the playoffs.
With no practice scheduled until next week, Matthews may not even return until January 7th, which will mark almost three weeks since he last played.
When Matthews does return to the lineup, how the Leafs manage his ice time and game schedule will be something to keep an eye on as they attempt to keep him as healthy as possible for the playoffs.
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