Matthews misses practice and continues to work day to day

TORONTO – Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed Thursday's practice and his status for the team's next two games is unclear.

The star center, who has been dealing with an upper-body injury on a day-to-day basis, also sat out Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Boston Bruins.

Head coach Craig Berube did not rule Matthews in or out of the lineup for Toronto's upcoming home games — Friday against the Detroit Red Wings and Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens — when reporters asked about his availability after Thursday's skate.

Matthews, who has dealt with shoulder and wrist problems in the past, has five goals and 11 points in 13 games this season. He last saw action on Sunday when he picked up an assist and played more than 22 minutes in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild.

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Berube, who added that Matthews remained completely off the ice Thursday, said earlier this week that his best player does not currently have a wrist problem. The three-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy winner led the NHL with 69 goals in 2023-2024 – the most in a single season in more than three decades.

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Matthews, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 draft, has 373 goals and 287 assists for 660 points in 575 career regular-season games. The 27-year-old former Hart Trophy winner as league MVP has added 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 55 playoff games.

Leafs forward Max Domi centered the top line between Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies on Tuesday as Toronto improved to a surprising 36-19-2 all-time in the regular season minus Matthews.

The club also beat the Bruins twice without its star sniper in last spring's seven-game first-round playoff loss.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.