Leafs place Matthews on injured reserve

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Friday afternoon that captain Auston Matthews has been placed on injured reserve.

The move is retroactive to Sunday, November 3, and he will not be eligible to return until Tuesday, meaning he will not play Saturday's game against the Montreal Canadiens. In addition, the team has recalled forward Connor Dewar from his LTIR conditioning loan.

Matthews was listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury earlier this week and sat out Tuesday's 4-0 victory over the Boston Bruins. Head coach Craig Berube already ruled Matthews out of the lineup for Toronto's home game Friday against the Detroit Red Wings.

Matthews, who has dealt with shoulder and wrist ailments in the past, has five goals and 11 points in 13 games this season. He last saw action Sunday when he picked up an assist and played more than 22 minutes in a 2-1 overtime road loss to the Minnesota Wild.

Berube, who added Matthews stayed off the ice entirely Thursday, said earlier this week his best player isn't currently dealing with another wrist issue. The three-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy winner led the NHL with 69 goals in 2023-24 — the most in a single season in more than three decades.

Matthews, who was selected No. 1 overall at the 2016 draft, has 373 goals and 287 assists for 660 points across 575 regular-season games in his career. The 27-year-old former Hart Trophy winner as league MVP has added 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 55 playoff contests.

Leafs forward Max Domi centred the top line between Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies on Tuesday as Toronto improved to a surprising 36-19-2 all-time in the regular season minus Matthews.