The Toronto Maple Leaf’s center Auston Matthews will be absent for at least three weeks after picking up a knee injury, the team announced on Friday.
Matthews sprained his knee during the Leafs’ 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. According to the Leafs, Matthews could remain sidelined for up to six weeks depending on his recovery process. With the NHL All-Star break and the Leafs’ bye week coinciding with his absence, Matthews will at least not miss playing time during such events.
As the reigning MVP, Matthews has been an impactful player for the Leafs over the past season, winning the Hart Trophy after leading the NHL scoring charts with 60 goals. This season, he has scored 57 points to date. Matthews was also voted an All-Star by fans due to his efforts, however, he will miss the All-Star game through injury.
With a 30-11-8 record this season, the Maple Leafs have been in fine form, winning four of their past six games and scoring 68 points, the second most in the league behind Atlantic Division rivals the Boston Bruins.
