Matthews says he's back in Saturday; Knies returns to regular spot at skate
Published
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews told reporters he is making his return Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“In my mind I’m back and excited to play tomorrow," he said.
Matthews has been out since Nov. 3 with an upper-body injury, missing nine straight games. He skated on the top line at Friday's session alongside William Nylander and Matthew Knies, who has also missed the past week and change with an upper-body injury.
Matthews resumed skating last weekend following a trip to Germany where he was evaluated for his injury. There was some hope Matthews could return for Wednesday's game against the Florida Panthers, but it was determined he needed a couple more skates to get back up to game speed.
The 26-year-old has five goals and six assists for 11 points in 13 games so far this season.
Knies back in regular spot
Meanwhile, Knies skated Friday in his regular spot on the top line wearing top-six blue as he continues to make his way back from the injury suffered last week on a hit from Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Zach Whitecloud.
"Hopefully he’ll be in tomorrow. We’ll see, but signs all point in that direction. He looked really good," head coach Craig Berube told reporters Friday.
Knies skated on a line with Matthews and William Nylander Friday. The winger practised in a red no-contact sweater on Tuesday before skating in a regular sweater on Wednesday. Knies is eligible to be activated off the injured reserve for Saturday's game against the Bolts. He is on the injured reserve list retroactive to Nov. 20.
During the second period of last Wednesday's matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, Whitecloud caught a slightly hunched over Knies up under the chin with his shoulder while Knies was skating in the neutral zone. The hit knocked Knies hard to the ice and forced him out of the game with an upper-body injury.
Whitecloud was not penalized for the hit, but did receive a two-minute roughing call for his confrontation with Leafs defenceman Simon Benoit, who wrestled him to the ice almost immediately. Benoit was handed a double minor on the play.
Knies, 22, has eight goals and four assists for 12 points in 20 games so far this season, his third with the big club. He had 15 goals and 35 points in 80 games last season.
McMann not on ice Friday
Forward Bobby McMann was not on the ice Friday afternoon after leaving Wednesday's game against the Florida Panthers with a lower-body injury.
He was the eighth Leafs forward to exit a game injured so far this season. Berube later described him as day-to-day.
"It's hard for me to tell you exactly, because it's how he's going to feel day-to-day, right, but he's out right now. I wouldn't expect him back for a couple games," the head coach said.
The 28-year-old has six goals and one assist in 21 games so far this season, his third as a Leaf.
Here were Toronto's line combinations Friday, according to TSN's Mark Masters:
Knies - Matthews - Nylander
Holmberg - Tavares - Marner
Robertson - Minten - Lorentz
Steeves - Dewar - Grebenkin
A. Nylander, Reaves
McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Ekman-Larsson
Benoit - Timmins
Myers, Hakanpää
Stolarz
Woll