Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews' Reaction to First Practice in Three Weeks

According to The Hockey News' Nick Barden, the Maple Leafs' success in his absence has been hard on Matthews. Craig Berube's team has gone 7-1-0 since the two-time 60-goal scorer last suited up, making things somewhat bittersweet as he watches from the press box. 

"It sucks watching, obviously, I want to be out there as soon as possible," Matthews said. "But to see guys step up and other players step in and make an impact, that's a great sign for us." 

Matthews, 27, had tallied five goals and six assists in 13 games before getting injured against the Minnesota Wild over three weeks ago. 

While there's no denying Matthews' importance to the lineup, the Maple Leafs are fortunate that the other three members of the "Core Four" have stepped up in their captain's absence. Mitchell Marner has amassed a team-leading 14 points in the last eight games while William Nylander (11 points) and John Tavares (nine points) have done their part, too. 

The Maple Leafs would be thrilled if Matthews is healthy enough to face the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, however, that might be a long shot. Head coach Berube said that the former 2016 first-overall pick's time away from practice could impact when he makes his in-game return. 

"(Matthews) looked fine and he felt fine," Berube told Masters. "But not having a lot of practice time, it's a little concerning."

The Maple Leafs will know more about Matthews' status against the Panthers when they practice again Wednesday morning. Toronto hasn't faced Florida since the Atlantic Division rivals split their four-game series during the 2023-24 NHL regular season.