Matthews back on the ice, may get back in Leafs lineup Wednesday

The Maple Leafs practised at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday. 

Auston Matthews is back on the ice. The Leafs centre skated on Saturday for the first time since Nov. 10. 

"I definitely feel night and day a lot better," said Matthews, who has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since Nov. 3. "Everything's moving in a positive direction."

Matthews will miss an eighth straight game on Sunday when the Leafs host the Utah Hockey Club, but says a return in Toronto's next game on Wednesday against the Florida Panthers is a possibility. 

Matthews confirmed the undisclosed injury "flared up" during training camp. He played the first 13 games of the regular season, but didn't look like himself while producing five goals and six assists. His shooting percentage, takeaways, and hits were all trending down from last year's 69-goal campaign, which ended with a Selke Trophy nomination. 

"It was getting worse and worse," the 27-year-old from Arizona explained. "A mistake I made in the past is maybe coming back [too soon]. You want to get back and you start to feel good and then you kind of try to jump back into the game and maybe you're not quite ready yet. So just wanted to be mindful and make sure that I'm feeling back as close to 100 per cent before we start getting back into game situations."

Matthews, who is in his first season as the team's captain, says he's "pretty confident" the injury won't bother him again moving forward. 

On Saturday, Matthews skated for more than 30 minutes with Patrick O'Sullivan, who is part of the team's player development staff. He is expected to skate again on Sunday, per coach Craig Berube.

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With the recovery process stalled, Matthews recently travelled to Munich, Germany to see a doctor he's worked with in the past. 

"I just wanted to be proactive about it," Matthews said. "Not that it was getting worse, it just didn't feel like I was progressing like I needed to or wanted to."

Matthews appreciated that the Leafs were on board. 

"They were extremely supportive," he said. 

Matthews, who played in Switzerland during his draft-eligible season, has never shied away from charting his own path. However, he objected to the idea that the overseas trip, which lasted five days, was a bold move. 

"I'm not sure it's so different," he said. "I think just in this market it gets a little bit blown out of proportion ... I don't think it's something that's really super abnormal for athletes to take charge of their medical [issues], take charge of their body."

Matthews is usually tightlipped about his health. For example, he refused to reveal what sidelined him for two games in last year's playoff series against the Boston Bruins. 

"I'm not going to go into the details of my every single day over there," he said when pressed about the time in Germany. 

Matthews then broke into a smile. 

"Direct flight, if you were wondering," he said. 

The Leafs have listed Matthews as "day-to-day" since he last played in Minnesota on Nov. 3, which has led to speculation and rumours about his status and the exact nature of the injury. 

"I find it comical, honestly," Matthews said with a smile. "It's not frustrating. It's something you kind of just chuckle over. I understand, like, why [it happens] but, at the same time, it is what it is."

Saturday's session with reporters was surprising, because the team usually doesn't make injured players available to the media until they return to practice.

"He is feeling a lot better," Berube said. 

After a day off on Monday, the Leafs will hold a practice on Tuesday before flying to Florida. 

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The Leafs have won six of seven games without Matthews in the lineup. 

"I think that's a sign of a great team," Matthews said, "Even the other night against Vegas, you know, six forwards out of the lineup, and having to call guys up and whatnot, you know, guys are stepping in and making an impact. And the leaders on our team are stepping up their game too. So it's been great to see."

William Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares have all scored four goals in the seven-game stretch without Matthews. 

The Leafs have found a way to get wins, but there's no doubt the team could use some reinforcements. Matthew Knies is now sidelined with an upper-body injury sustained on Wednesday, which means Toronto will be missing seven regular forwards on Sunday against Utah. 

The return of Matthews to the ice created a buzz in the dressing room. 

"Huge to see him back and being out there," said defenceman Chris Tanev. "Captain, one of the best players in the league, so it's good. Hopefully he keeps progressing to where he needs to be to get back out with us, which will be awesome."

"Missing him a lot out there," said Nylander. "The leadership that he brings, obviously, and everything that he can do on the ice. So, yeah, hopefully he'll be back soon."

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General manager Brad Treliving called Nylander on Friday afternoon to let him know the team was signing his younger brother, Alex Nylander, who had been playing for the Toronto Marlies on an American Hockey League contract. 

"I was looking at taps for my condo because it's being renovated, and I was there with my dad and Brad called me and told me that they were signing Alex," William said. "It was a very special moment."

Proud father Michael Nylander will be in attendance on Sunday night. 

"He was emotional yesterday," said William. "Two sons playing on the same team in the NHL is probably pretty special. Only a couple of fathers get the experience."

"He's so pumped," said Alex.

The siblings are living together in Toronto and drove to the rink together for their first practice as NHL teammates.

"Words can't really describe it," William said. "I think this is what every hockey-playing brother pair probably wishes for as kids."

"It's crazy," Alex said. "I've never really been on the same team as him, and just going to the rink together is a lot of fun."

William and Alex will become the fifth set of brothers to play a game together for the Leafs. It hasn't happened since Peter and Miroslav Ihnacak played together in Toronto during the 1986-87 season. 

The Nylander brothers played together previously. They were actually linemates with Team Sweden at the 2016 World Juniors. In the first game of the tournament, they combined to score a goal on their opening shift. On the second shift, though, William took a hit to the head and sustained a concussion. He didn't play again at the event. 

"It would have been a lot of fun to play the entire tournament together," William said. "But things happen for a reason."

"And now eight years later, we get to do it again," Alex said. "It's amazing."

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Will Berube play the Nylander brothers on the same line? 

"Well, not right away," the coach said. "We'll just see how it goes."

The duo obviously have a lot of chemistry and train together every summer back home in Stockholm. Will William lobby the coach for some shifts with Alex? 

"I haven't talked to him about that," William said with a grin. "But maybe he'll watch this interview."

William didn't stop smiling throughout the media session. He seemed to have a little extra pep in his step during practice. 

"Willy was scoring a lot of goals today," noted Berube. 

William will start Sunday's game on the second line with Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson. 

Alex will start on the third line with fellow Marlies call-ups Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin. That trio played five games together down in the AHL after Minten returned from a high-ankle sprain. 

"They've been a good line down there," Berube said. "They have a little bit of chemistry. Grebs and Minten, you know, a little bit more, I think, even from [rookie] camp."

"We try to just keep it simple, you know, keep cycling pucks more in the O zone, and forecheck D to make them make turnovers," Alex said. "We just try to play go-and-go hockey. We like to pass, everybody on the line, and we like to shoot as well, so just try to bring that and bring our confidence that we have down in the 'A' to this level."

Alex is full of confidence after scoring eight goals and adding four assists in 14 games with the Marlies. He finished last season strong with 11 goals in 23 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

"I'm just continuing off what I did last year," Alex said. "I know what I can do at the NHL level ... It all starts with working hard every shift, and the rest kind of comes by itself when I do that."

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The Leafs are enjoying a rare Saturday night off. 

"I am shocked," said Berube with a grin. "I didn't think it was allowed for the Leafs not to play on a Saturday night, but we will take it."

Berube planned to spend the evening doing a pre-scout of Sunday's opponent. 

"Normally, I watch some sort of hockey every night," he said. "Tonight, I will be watching Utah play."

The Leafs will only have one other Saturday off (March 1) during the regular season. 

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Lines at Saturday's practice: 

McMann - Tavares - Marner
Robertson - Holmberg - W. Nylander  
Grebenkin - Minten - A. Nylander
Steeves - Dewar - Lorentz 
Reaves 

McCabe - Tanev 
Rielly - Ekman-Larsson 
Benoit - Timmins 
Myers, Hakanpää

Stolarz 
Woll 

Power play units at Saturday's practice: 

PP1

Rielly, W. Nylander, Marner, Tavares, Minten 

PP2

Ekman-Larsson, Timmins, A. Nylander, Robertson, McMann