Matthews trending toward return next week, Leafs GM Treliving says

The Maple Leafs practised at Ford Performance Centre on Tuesday. 

Auston Matthews travelled to Germany to see a doctor about his undisclosed upper-body injury, general manager Brad Treliving announced at an impromptu media session on Tuesday. 

"More as a general checkup, but also to get some work done on his thing," Treliving said. "It's not alarming."

Leafs medical director and head physician Dr. Noah Forman accompanied Matthews to Munich where he's seeing a doctor he's "used in the past," per Treliving. 

Matthews has not played since Nov. 3. The Leafs captain has not skated since Nov. 10. However, the 27-year-old has been doing off-ice work regularly. 

"There's been no setbacks," Treliving stressed. "Everything's been actually going quite well. We're just trying to use the days that we've got here with less games being played to just try to get this behind us."

The Leafs only have one game – Wednesday against Vegas – during a seven-day stretch. 

The injury issue for Matthews initially popped up during training camp. The Arizona native missed one pre-season game before dressing in the first 13 games of the regular season. 

Treliving was unwilling to divulge any specifics regarding the injury. 

"I'm protective of our players," he explained. "We want to share as much as we can, but anything that may put the player at jeopardy, I am not going to do that. There's not surgery. There's not any speculation like that."

Matthews has been listed as "day-to-day" by the team throughout the recovery process. 

"I've talked to him about it," said winger Mitch Marner. "Just trying to keep his mental and mind space good. Obviously, he wants to be out there with us as badly as we want him. He's trying to figure out everything he can to try and get back as quick as possible." 

"How's he holding up? He wants to play," Treliving said. "But he also knows that we've got the long game in mind here, so he's doing well."

Matthews will miss a seventh straight game on Wednesday. He's unlikely to suit up on Sunday against Utah, but Treliving is hopeful that Matthews will be able to return next week when the Leafs head to the Sunshine State. 

"Maybe Sunday, but probably after that on the road," Treliving said. 

Toronto is scheduled to play the Florida Panthers on Nov. 27 and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30. 

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The Leafs will be missing another centre on Wednesday as David Kampf is out with a lower-body injury. Fraser Minten has been recalled from the American Hockey League and took Kampf's spot as the third-line centre at practice. 

"To be perfectly honest with you, I would have preferred to leave him down there for a little bit longer," Treliving admitted. "I think you've got to be careful, especially with young guys, bumping them up and down. He's coming off the injury, but he's had a great start."

Minten missed all of training camp after suffering a high-ankle sprain during a rookie camp game in Montreal. He has four points in five games with the Marlies. 

Minten is only 20, but is often praised for being mature beyond his years. 

"He's a smart, smart player," Treliving said. "What jumps out is just his hockey IQ. He talks on the bench like a coach, and you've seen that even in the start that he's had with the Marlies. He's really intelligent, sees the ice, knows the game."

Minten surprisingly made the Leafs out of training camp last season and dressed in four games before being sent back to the Western Hockey League. During his previous time in the NHL, Minten lived with John Tavares and his family. 

"A great opportunity for him now to come up and take advantage of being with us again," Tavares said. "I'm excited for him. Obviously became a good friend. Kids ask him about him all the time ... His knowledge for the game is exceptional, and he's got a drive that comes with that." 

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With Toronto's centre depth being tested, Craig Berube was asked if he's contemplated moving Marner to the middle. 

"I talked to Mitch the other day about it, actually," the coach revealed with a smile. "He said, 'No problem, whatever you want.' He's smart enough for sure. I know he's played some [defence] here, too, in the past. I think he could play all positions. It's definitely an option if we need it."

Former coach Sheldon Keefe would use Marner as a defenceman when the team trailed late in games. 

Marner filled in as a centre on Sept. 24 when Matthews left the ice midway through a practice due to the upper-body injury. 

"It's nothing different," Marner said back then. "It's always fun playing down the middle and getting the puck in your hands a little more."

Berube points out the faceoffs may be an issue. Marner, who played some centre during his junior career, has won just one of seven draws this season and is 44.3 per cent at the dot in his career.  

Marner continued to skate as the team's top line right winger at practice. And, at this point, you can understand why the Leafs don't want to mess with what's working. With Matthews out, Marner leads the way with 10 points in six games. 

"In a lot of ways he's putting the team on his back," Treliving said.

Marner broke up a 2-on-1 rush by Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl during overtime on Saturday before steaming down the ice and beating Stuart Skinner. 

"There were two pretty good players coming in on a 2-on-1," Treliving said. "I thought the best move was to close your eyes and pray. He made a hell of a play and then finishes it off, and just shows you what he can do. It's a special player."

Teammates expressed surprise that Marner, who leads the team with 18 assists, opted to shoot on the rush with Tavares in overtime. 

"He told me after he was a little surprised himself," Tavares said with a grin. "I was definitely ready for [the pass] coming."

"Saw that I had the far side," Marner recalled. "When I looked back to John, I started seeing [Evan] Bouchard wanting to slide at me and get a stick down. So, yeah, I saw the opening, tried to take it, and luckily enough it worked out."

Marner also assisted on Toronto's opening goal and helped kill off a five-minute major. He finished the night plus-three despite being matched up against McDavid.

"Just was locked in, in the zone," Tavares said. "You can just sense it even on the play [in overtime]. He was just focused on doing what was right, and that was obviously the shot. [He] caught their goaltender in a tough spot and just put it in a great location."

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After producing just two goals in the first 14 games, Marner has now scored in four of the last five. Saturday's tally was the 200th of his career. 

"There's no doubt he can be a really, really elite goal scorer," said Tavares. "I think he showed that a couple years ago, almost got to 40. So, you know, it's definitely there."

The instinct to shoot, though, isn't always there. Marner has fired just 50 pucks on net in 19 games this season. Only 27 of the shots have come in 5-on-5 play and he ranks seventh on the team in that category. 

"I talk to him about shooting a little bit more at times, but I get it," Berube said. "He's a passer and always been a passer. But, at the same time, we need guys, when they get the opportunities in real good spots, they need to shoot."

Marner has played mostly on a line with Matthews in recent years and when you play beside a Rocket Richard Trophy winner it's not easy to call your own number. 

"Anybody who plays with Auston is probably looking for him a little bit more than normal," Berube acknowledged. "And probably too much at times, you know, in my opinion. But, he's looking for JT, too, who's the scorer, right. So, in the end, you know, you make plays that are there."

Marner scored a career-high 35 goals during the 2021-22 season when he suited up in 72 games. He scored 26 goals in 69 games last season. 

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Marner's game is in a good spot right now. What about his mustache? 

"Just working hard on it and seeing how it goes," he said with a grin. "Obviously, Movember is a pretty important thing. My wife was the one that actually said I should get it going. So, giving it all I got, but it's not much."

Does his wife have any regrets? 

"No, loves it. Loves it."

Marner is one of several Leafs growing mustaches to raise awareness of men's health issues as part of the Movember campaign. 

"It's an important month," Marner said. "I think you see a lot of guys around the league, a lot of guys in here trying to show off that Movember 'stache. So, it's for a good cause."

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After missing the last two practices for maintenance, Max Domi participated fully on Tuesday. Domi has filled in as a top-six centre with Matthews out, but it hasn't been a smooth transition. 

"He's fighting through a lot right now," Berube said. "I'm not overly concerned. We've got to keep working through it." 

Berube dialed back Domi's ice time to 14 minutes and 42 seconds on Saturday. Domi's average in the previous five games without Matthews in the lineup had been 17 minutes and seven seconds.

Domi has registered just 24 shots in 19 games and is still looking for his first goal. He has gone a career-high 13 games without a point. 

"We're trying to get him to the hard areas a little bit more and get some goals there," Berube said. "Like, we put him in the bumper on the power play on the second unit last game just to get him in the middle of the ice. He's got a good shot."

Domi was not available to the media after practice. 

"I have full belief in Max that he'll be fine," said Berube. "He'll come around, and once one goes in for him, it'll come."

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Ryan Reaves was open to speaking with reporters following practice, but the team's media relations staff intervened before a formal interview could commence. It's Leafs policy that suspended players only speak with reporters when they become eligible to return to game action. 

"OK, see you guys in two and a half weeks," Reaves said with a shrug as reporters left the dressing room. 

Reaves was suspended five games for an illegal check to the head of Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse on Saturday night. 

"I know it wasn't his intention," said Tavares. "I think we all felt it could have been a little shorter, but obviously the league's going to do what they feel is best to keep the game safe and protect guys. But we thought it was a little high."

"At no point do I think Ryan had any intent for that to happen," Treliving said. "It didn't end up the way we wanted it to, and I understand the league's position."

The Leafs initially thought Reaves may get the same three-game ban that Los Angeles Kings winger Tanner Jeannot received for a headshot on Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser. 

That said, Treliving doesn't expect Reaves will appeal the suspension. 

"I'm not going to sit here and bicker about a game here and there," the general manager said. 

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Lines at Tuesday's practice: 

McMann - Tavares - Marner 
Knies - Domi - Nylander 
Robertson - Minten - Holmberg 
Dewar - Lorentz - Steeves

McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Hakanpää
Ekman-Larsson - Timmins 
Benoit - Reaves 

Stolarz 
Woll