Sportsnet's Luke Fox wonders what, if any, ill effects another head injury may have on Matthews after missing a total of 7 periods of action against the Bruins in their first round series, also pointing out that Matthews looked under 100% upon his return.
Obviously, there's no way to know for sure what the long-term effects of Matthews 2nd concussion will be. The obvious hope is that there's no lingering effects and that with enough rest, Matthews will come back stronger than ever in 2024-25. However, it's also a fair concern because once a player has suffered a concussion, the next one is not only easier to get, but could also see symptoms worsen and persist longer than the last.
Obviously, the Leafs took no chances with Matthews. Once the medical staff discovered that something wasn't quite right after the 2nd period in Game 4, they removed him from the game for the entire 3rd period and all of Games 5 and 6. The fact that he was cleared for Game 7, as Fox mentioned, was a very good sign that this issue is behind him. Still, the concern is there.
