6:00 PM: Matthews has officially been ruled out of Game 5, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). Friedman added that the issue may not solely be his illness anymore, hinting that the star forward could be dealing with nagging injury as well.
3:30 PM: The Toronto Maple Leafs could be without superstar Auston Matthews in tonight’s Game 5, reports Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston of The Athletic. Matthews has played through an unknown illness in the team’s last two games, though he left before the third period of Game 4, getting pulled by team doctors who assessed that his symptoms were too severe. Matthews has since been recovering, and joined Toronto’s optional morning skate earlier today for all of eight minutes, working on simple motions and not exerting himself. Head coach Sheldon Keefe told The Athletic that Matthews’ availability would be up to the team doctors.
Matthews is on a shortlist of the toughest players in the league to replace when they’re injured. He made history this season, becoming the first player to reach the 69-goal mark since Mario Lemieux in the 1995-96 season. Matthews is a generational scoring talent, with the potential to take over games for his team, even in a hobbled state. He’s so far struggled this postseason, with just three points in four games but the Leafs need all of the help that they can get – facing yet another First Round elimination game and coming off the heels of a 3-1 loss.
Max Domi is expected to take over duties as the team’s top center in Matthews’ absence, while Connor Dewar will return to the fourth line after losing his spot to William Nylander’s return. Dewar is one of just 12 Leafs skaters to record a point in this series, notching an assist in Game 1. Meanwhile, Domi is tied with linemate Tyler Bertuzzi and Matthews for the team lead in playoff scoring, with three points. The Leafs will hope that the shifts in the lineup, and Nylander’s return, will generate a big spark, as they face elimination without their star.
We want Toronto!
(A Panthers fan <3)
Even with Matthews in the lineup the Bruins still win..Toronto has to clean house this year Top to Bottom…
Trade rosters with Utah
Matthews would love that closer to home for him..
That did not age well.
Toronto fans say this literally every year.
Matthews to DC for Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael (and maybe Lindgren)
How does that help Toronto maybe tougher but not better…
Now that is funny! It’s almost like you know nothing about hockey.
the Leafs counter with reaves, Robertson and jarnkrok for Ovechkin
what a nerd
I know hockey but the 3 players from Washington would not score 69 goals in their lifetime…that’s knowing hockey
Oh yeah, Lindgren would put it over the edge.
A trade package for Matthews would look like your team’s top three prospects, a couple NHL-ers, and several firsts.
Dude, lighten up and figure out how this posting stuff works. I was not responding to you.
odds this is a concussion? I’d peg it at 70%
@MoneyBallJustWorks — Some in the Toronto media and sports talk scene have been throwing out the story of food poisoning, so it could be one or the other. Or, none of the above.
another collapse coming???!!! If the Bruins keep playing like they did last night, it won’t matter if Matthews plays or not. the Leafs will win the series in 7.