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NHL insider Nick Kypreos believes Leafs have just told Auston Matthews they don't need him

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Daniel Lucente
November 8, 2024  (10:35)
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Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews skates with the puck
Photo credit: Sportsnet video screenshot

NHL insider Nick Kypreos believes the Leafs' ways of handling the Auston Matthews injury situation show the team doesn't need him to score 69 goals again.

News on Tuesday that Toronto Maple Leafs leading scorer Auston Matthews is day-to-day with an upper-body injury called into question his availability for upcoming games. Without him, the Toronto Maple Leafs still managed to put on quite a show, defeating Boston by a score of 4-0 and looking very cohesive as a unit. That win took some sting out of the injury news, but his non-participation in practices since it was announced has many fans and analysts speculating about the severity of the injury.

The Leafs have been relatively tight-lipped with regards to Matthews' status, and according to Nick Kypreos, co-host of the Real Kyper and Bourne podcast, the club may even be encouraging Matthews to take all the time he needs. As such, Kypreos said that Toronto's early season success without Matthews should translate to him being told the club doesn't need him, and instead, he should be concerned with his long-term health, rather than his short-term absence.

"Something's bothering him, take two days off, take the weekend off. I think there's a chance he takes the weekend off. There's no number now you need to feel pressure to hit, that's the message. That's the #1 thing that made me say what I just said is that we need to be abundantly clear you're not coming back to feel like you need to produce a goal a game."

- Nick Kypreos


Kypreos reiterated that rushing Matthews back into the lineup would be a risk to both his health and the momentum of the team. That message is clear from Toronto: as invaluable as his goal-scoring is, Matthews shouldn't be in any rush to come back into the lineup. Someone of Matthews' caliber, who has broken franchise records already, is closing in on bigger and better milestones in his upcoming prime.

What the Leafs actually require now is not just another high-scoring season but, all said and done, a deep playoff run that puts them closer to the Stanley Cup. Getting to this place will mean Matthews paying attention to his body this season, not fighting through injuries, which hurt both himself and the team's chances.

What's more, the Leafs and their fans look past Auston Matthews' scoring milestones for championships. It is not goals that will leave a lasting mark on Matthews' career, but rather playoff championships to Toronto. For now, fans hope he takes this time to rest up and comes back ready to go because that's what truly matters: winning.

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NHL insider Nick Kypreos believes Leafs have just told Auston Matthews they don't need him

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