toronto – Austin Mathews He’ll miss the Toronto Maple Leafs for at the least three weeks with a sprained knee.
The middle was injured in a 3-2 time beyond regulation win over the New York Rangers on Wednesday. He had 4 pictures on objective in 21:53 of ice time, however his private 10-game streak (eight targets and 5 assists) was ended.
“To be sincere, I am undecided if there was a particular incident or something like that,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe mentioned Friday. “I observed he was a little bit uncomfortable a few occasions throughout the recreation however I did not suppose a lot of it on the time. He was nonetheless sore the subsequent day in order that they introduced him in for an MRI and there was an harm in there so ‘I am going to take a while’.”
Matthews, who’s third over the Maple Leafs with 53 factors and second with 25 targets, missed two video games earlier this month on Jan. 11 (2-1 win over the Nashville Predators) and Jan. 12 (4-1 loss to the Detroit Reds). Wings) with an undetected an infection. Keefe mentioned the knee sprain had “nothing to do” with the issue that dominated him out of these two video games.
Matthews, who was amongst 12 gamers chosen within the 2023 NHL All-Star Fan Vote submitted by Assured Fee to take part within the Honda NHL All-Star Weekend, will probably be changed by the Florida Panthers ahead Alexander Barkov on the record of the Atlantic Division.
“He is an enormous a part of our staff and the most effective gamers on the earth, so it is a pity,” he mentioned John Tavares He mentioned. “Hopefully he’ll be again right here as quickly as doable, I do know he’ll do no matter must be performed to do it and be able to play. For us as a staff we’ve to drag collectively and not likely attempt to fill a void however I believe simply taking part in with our staff identification and that is what made us profitable.” We have proven good depth all season so there’s an opportunity for different gamers to progress.”
Toronto is 31-16-2 all time with out Matthews, who’s in his seventh season within the NHL, within the lineup.
“If there’s something we have discovered about our squad this season, it is that we had been resilient regardless of who got here on or off,” Keefe mentioned. “For essentially the most half aside from Auston lacking a few video games the protection has been fairly crushed down. I am undecided the place we’re within the league within the males’s video games we misplaced however it ought to matter when it comes to the place we’re within the league and it did not upset our staff. We simply maintain taking part in.” .
The Maple Leafs have three video games earlier than the NHL All-Star break, beginning with the Ottawa Senators on Friday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW). They play the Washington Capitals on Sunday and the Boston Bruins on Wednesday earlier than not taking part in once more till Feb. 10.
Toronto (30-11-8) is second within the Atlantic, 12 factors behind the first-place Boston Bruins.
“Clearly you are a unique staff however I do not suppose it’s important to play otherwise different than simply creating extra probabilities for others, I count on them to step up, do their job and all the things that offers us success when Austin is round has to proceed and it’s important to discover a strategy to make it occur,” Keefe mentioned. This extra objective.
Tavares changed Matthews on the road on Friday morning in Toronto between the left wing Michael Bunting and the correct wing Mitchell Marner. heart Pontus Holmberg He was moved to interchange Tavares on the left wing line Callie Jarnkrock and the correct wing William Nylander.
Tavares mentioned he believes Holmberg, who has 12 factors (5 targets and 7 assists) in 30 video games in his rookie season, will have the ability to rise to the highest six spherical within the lineup.
“Only a actually sensible hockey participant, who understands the sport very well and is absolutely sturdy on ice skating,” mentioned Tavares. “He does a extremely good job of defending pucks alongside the wall, again shoulder infrequently to get his floor, and he catches his ice and positive aspects house that method. Very delicate performs that may unleash an exit out of your finish, or assault offensively, he is obtained actually good instincts.” “.
Ponting took Matthews’ place within the energy play in unity with Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Defensman Morgan Riley. Matthews leads Toronto with 10 targets. The Maple Leafs rank tenth within the NHL in energy play (24.2 p.c).
“I believe it is nonetheless the identical,” Marner mentioned of the power of the sport, which equaled 4-17 within the final six matches since Matthews returned from a two-game absence. “Simply attempt to be impactful, attempt to make a distinction within the recreation after we get our probabilities. Clearly you lose a man who can rating in a number of methods and a number of totally different angles and make performs however the factor about our power efficiency is all 5 guys can work in these.” The 5 Websites and aren’t afraid to determine anyplace.”
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