Leafs’ Auston Matthews to return to lineup against Jets

An important piece is set to bring in the New Year with his team.

When speaking to the media on Thursday, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube revealed that captain Auston Matthews will be in the lineup for the team’s New Year’s Day clash with the Winnipeg Jets.

Matthews was seen back on the top line during the morning skate, centering Matthew Knies and Max Domi.

Matthews was out of action when the Maple Leafs went up against the New Jersey Devils with a lower-body injury. While the team hasn’t confirmed what kept No. 34 off the ice, he blocked a shot in Toronto’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, and Matthews posted an assist in over 22 minutes of ice time.

Matthews has already missed a few games this season. A lower-body injury led to his placement on injured reserve last month, resulting in the 28-year-old missing a total of five games. Yet, he’s still tied for the team lead in goals (15) with John Tavares, sitting fourth on the team in overall scoring with 27 points to go along with his 12 assists in 33 appearances.

Matthews had a couple of solid games prior to his injury. In a wild 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators last Saturday, the Arizona native notched a goal and three points, his first three-point performance of the 2025-26 campaign.

The Leafs hope Matthews can find his groove as we near the Olympic break. The three-time Rocket Richard winner certainly hasn’t been scoring at the pace he has in the past, but he has the ability to go on a tear if he can find a bit of confidence in his game.

The Leafs (18-15-6) begin the New Year seventh in the Atlantic Division, four points back of the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.