The Toronto Maple Leafs have been without their captain, Auston Matthews, for the last couple of games. Matthews went down in a game against the Boston Bruins a few days ago following a cheap shot from defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
Matthews left that game with what’s been reported as a lower-body injury. According to the main narrative, this season’s injury is unrelated to previous ailments. But as far as one medical expert is concerned, the Maple Leafs’ franchise player isn’t unlikely to return anytime soon.
Dr. Harjas Grewal offered this insight into Matthews’ hitting the ice earlier this week:
“Matthews skating but yet to see a clip of him taking a full stride so do not think he’s close yet. Short clip so perhaps later on in the skate he lengthened his stride.”
Matthews has already missed four games, and there’s no return date in sight. The Maple Leafs play the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night and don’t look poised to have their captain back. That situation has hampered the club offensively, though the rest of the team has managed to pick up the slack somewhat.
In particular, the Maple Leafs have managed to pick up some points following overtime losses against the LA Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets. The Leafs also pulled out a win against the St. Louis Blues.
However, Toronto remains in second-last place in the Atlantic Division. While they are just three points away from third place, the clock is ticking. The team needs to get back on track lest the playoff ship sails away sooner than expected.
Tavares Stepping Up for Maple Leafs in Matthews’ Absence
The player who’s quietly stepped up for the Maple Leafs during Matthews’ absence has been John Tavares. The 35-year-old has been a workhorse for Toronto this season. He’s surpassed his average ice time this season, clocking in nearly 24 minutes against the Blues a couple of games ago.
In the four games since Matthews went down, Tavares has notched three goals and three assists. He’s run the top line and has been a steady, calming presence for the Maple Leafs.
This season, Tavares has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points. That point total has him tied with Leon Draisaitl and teammate William Nylander for 11th in the league in scoring. Tavares is one point behind Colorado Avalanche stars Cale Makar and Martin Necas.
Another strong game on Saturday night could push Tavares into the top 10 in scoring.
Rest of Team Needs to Step Up
While Tavares and Nylander have been leading the way, the Maple Leafs need to get contributions from other key players around the lineup. Forwards such as Nick Robertson continue to push. Meanwhile, Bobby McMann remains a little engine that could on the ice.
Unfortunately, veterans such as Max Domi, Dakota Joshua, and Matias Maccelli haven’t quite been a dominant force. They’ll need to step up their game if the Maple Leafs are to get back into the Atlantic Division playoff race.
The club will face a big test on Saturday against the Canadiens. A road win could be enough to propel the club back into the playoff race.
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