TORONTO 鈥� Auston Matthews is back in Toronto and says a return to action Wednesday is possible after the injured Maple Leafs captain visited a doctor in Germany.
Matthews has missed seven games with an undisclosed upper-body ailment but skated Saturday morning at Ford Performance Centre ahead of the Maple Leafs鈥� practice.
鈥淲as a good day just to get back on the ice,鈥� Matthews told reporters. 鈥淲e鈥檒l take it day-to-day, continue to try to progress on the ice and see how this week looks and feels.
鈥淥bviously I鈥檇 love to get out there. I mean (Sunday), not realistic, but Wednesday possibly.鈥�
The reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner as the NHL鈥檚 top goal scorer said the injury flared up during the pre-season and worsened during the regular season.
Matthews, 27, had five goals and six assists in 13 games before exiting the lineup.
鈥淭hought it was time to take a step back and re-evaluate it and just take it day-by-day,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t hasn鈥檛 necessarily gotten worse but it wasn鈥檛 really getting better so I wanted to be proactive. Collaborating with the (Maple Leafs), they were super supportive.鈥�
Matthews mentioned he spent about five days overseas to receive a second opinion from a doctor he trusted and had previously consulted. He said Saturday he felt a lot better.
鈥淚 think a lot of guys, you see it in the NHL but also in other leagues, maybe seek second opinions or go seek advice from other areas outside the team," Matthews said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 super abnormal for athletes to take charge of their medical, take charge of their body.鈥�
Toronto hosts the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday before travelling to Florida on Wednesday for a game against the Panthers.
The Maple Leafs (12-6-2) have gone 6-1-0 without their superstar in the lineup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2024.
The Canadian Press
