Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews to miss next two games due to injury

The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue to play without Auston Matthews as the first-year captain remains sidelined with an upper-body injury, head coach Craig Berube confirmed to David Alter of The Hockey News.

Matthews missed the Maple Leafs’ past two games and won’t be in the lineup Friday versus the Detroit Red Wings nor Saturday against the Washington Capitals.

Matthews’ injury is the same ailment that kept him out of the lineup for a nine-game stretch in November, where during his absence from the team he visited a German-based doctor for injury treatment. Matthews returned to the lineup for 11 games, in which he registered six goals and six assists for 12 points, before reaggravating the injury.

On the season, Matthews has recorded 23 points counting 11 goals and 12 assists through 24 appearances, good for fourth in Maple Leafs’ scoring behind Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares.

The Maple Leafs have posted a 7-4-0 record without Matthews in the lineup this season, while collectively the team stands at 21-12-2 and two points back of the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers for top spot in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs are in the midst of a two-game losing skid while Friday’s contest will mark the debut of new Red Wings bench boss Todd McLellan.

The first-overall selection from the 2016 NHL Draft, Matthews has played 586 career contests with the Maple Leafs in which he has tallied 379 goals and 293 assists for 672 points, plus 48 points in 55 playoff appearances. The 27-year-old Arizona native also boasts an impressive trophy case that includes three Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy wins as the NHL’s leading goal scorer, underscored by the 2023-24 campaign in which he finished with a career high of 69 goals and 107 points coming in 81 games.