A Concerning Situation May Be Developing in Toronto Involving Leafs Captain Auston Matthews

There was cause for concern earlier today for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs as captain Auston Matthews was absent from practice ahead of Game 5 against the Ottawa Senators.

While losing one game while ahead 3-0 in a series isn't a huge issue, losing your captain and star player most certainly would be.

It turns out that Matthews was given a maintenance day in order to get a bit of a rest after playing in excess of 26 minutes on Saturday.

It's not an uncommon thing for players, but it may surprise some fans to hear whose idea it was. While Matthews has absolutely answered the call for the Maple Leafs in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs so far, head coach Craig Berube has revealed it was Matthews' idea to take the rest, calling it a "good thing."

Former Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was on the ice for practice, and revealed that his overall health status is good following an injury scare in Game 4, the result result of a head shot by Senators defenseman Artem Zub.

While resting your star player is never a bad idea, Matthews' absence from practice is a bit of a head scratcher as you would think the captain would want to lead by example. The fact that it was his idea and that his coach was in support of it is even more surprising.

The Maple Leafs get a second shot at closing out their series with the Ottawa Senators tonight as Toronto takes a 3-1 series lead into Game 5. Hopefully, Matthews will be rested and ready to go.