Details of Leafs Captain Auston Matthews' Nagging Injury Finally Revealed to the Public
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Elliotte Friedman has revealed the details of Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews' nagging injury to the public.
In mid-November, Auston Matthews and the Leads shocked Leafs Nation and the NHL when they announced he was travelling to Germany for treatment on a nagging injury that began in training camp.
Matthews would miss almost a month before a brief return and then re-aggravating the injury against the Buffalo Sabres.
Also forced to miss a game during the 4-Nations Face-Off, Matthews has looked like his old self during the latter half of the season, scoring in 3 straight games to end the year and tallying 29 points in his final 22 games.
On a lengthy weekend edition of "32 Thoughts: The Podcast," debating each of the series for the first round, Friedman revealed the nature of Matthews' nagging injury, after months of secrecy from the Leafs and the player himself.
"The thing about Matthews was, there were a lot of issues earlier this year. One of the things I heard was surgery wouldn't solve the problem, it was a muscle thing - at least for the one that he went to Germany for - and the hope was that it would heal and that he would be ready when it matters and I think the Maple Leafs are counting on that and that Matthews has properly tapered it for now."
The former first-overall pick admitted himself when he returned that it was something he would have to manage the remainder of the season. Now, as Friedman noted, Matthews appears to finally have it under control and the Leafs are hopeful they will be able to contain it to allow Matthews to be the game-breaker he can be throughout the playoffs.
The Leafs' captain will have to be what he has shown that he can be in the past if the Leafs hope to go on a deep playoff run: the best player on the ice on any given night. With his injury issues appearing to be behind him, let's hope that starts tomorrow night against the Senators and beyond.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 19 | 5194 ANSWERS Details of Leafs Captain Auston Matthews' Nagging Injury Finally Revealed to the Public Do you think Auston Matthews will need off-season surgery? | ||
| Yes | 2638 | 50.8 % |
| No | 1653 | 31.8 % |
| Depends on the playoffs | 903 | 17.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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