Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews during a game against the Los Angeles Kings, in Toronto, on Oct. 16.Claus Andersen/Getty Images
Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews is in Germany to see a specialist about an upper-body injury he sustained against the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 3.
General manager Brad Treliving said on Tuesday that Matthews is accompanied on the trip by a team doctor. He has missed six games while the team has called his injury day to day.
Toronto has not divulged the nature of the injury. Treliving said he possibly could be ready to play against the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday but it is more likely he will not return to action until Nov. 27 against the Panthers in Sunrise, Fla.
The Maple Leafs play just twice this week and Treliving said the window for such a medical visit was available.
“It’s not alarming,” the general manager said. “We are hopeful that once we get this week behind us he will be up and skating. There has been nothing new and no setbacks. Everything has actually been going quite well. I think we are in a good spot.”
Matthews had five goals and six assists before the injury. He is coming off a 69-goal season in 2023-24. He has been on injured reserve retroactively since Nov. 3.
“He wants to play but also knows we have the long game in mind,” Treliving said.
Toronto was already down three forwards with Matthews, Max Pacioretty and Calle Jarnkrok sidelined before announcing earlier Tuesday that David Kampf (lower-body injury) is also now on the shelf. Leafs prospect Fraser Minten was recalled from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to take his spot.
Toronto (11-6-2) was already down three forwards with Matthews, Max Pacioretty and Calle Jarnkrok sidelined before announcing earlier Tuesday that centre David Kampf (lower-body injury) is also now on the shelf. Fraser Minten was recalled from the minors to take his spot.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for you in the league,” said Treliving, whose team is 5-1-0 this season minus Matthews. “Injuries are part of the NHL. If you can’t sustain them, you’re probably not going to have a whole lot of success. I like how our guys have rallied.
“We’ve been able to put some points on the board.”
Toronto is at home on Wednesday versus the Vegas Golden Knights. The team is 11-6-2 and one point behind the first-place Panthers in the NHL’s Atlantic Division.
With a report from The Canadian Press