Leafs Captain Auston Matthews' Status For Wednesday's Game in Florida Finally Revealed
Leafs captain Auston Matthews' status for Wednesday's game against the Florida Panthers has finally been revealed following the Leafs' morning skate.
Following his first practice since November 3rd, Matthews spoke to the media and noted that he 'felt good', while also hinting that he may want another practice or two to get his legs back under him before committing to a return.
Matthews was a full participant in practice, taking line rushes with Pontus Holmberg and William Nylander, which led to Leafs fans speculating that he would be returning Wednesday.
Having been sidelined with an unspecified upper-body injury, which ultimately led him to a trip to Germany for treatment, it would have been nice to see the three-time Rocket Richard winner back in the lineup.
However, TSN's Chris Johnston reported during the Leafs' morning skate that Matthews would not be in the lineup against the defending Stanley Cup champions, as he was not a full participant in line rushes.
Johnston confirmed what Matthews essentially hinted at yesterday, being that he wanted a few more practices under his belt to get his legs back. Johnston also stated that a return on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning is still a possibility.
Without Matthews, the Leafs have gone 7-1-0 and will look to expand their lead on the Panthers at the top of the Atlantic Division as they continue to rely on the likes of Fraser Minten to carry some of the load at center and Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander to carry the offensive load at the top of the lineup.
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