Surgery has reportedly never been on the table for Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who's been dealing with a lingering upper-body injury since the beginning of November. The 27-year-old spoke for the first time on Wednesday since Dec.

TORONTO -- Auston Matthews practiced on Wednesday for the second time since reaggravating an upper-body injury, and could return to the lineup for the Maple Leafs this weekend.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to wait a little longer before welcoming back Auston Matthews to a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations. The New York Islanders can't afford to wait much longer to begin winning and stave off a potential breakup of the core that reached consecutive NHL semifinals in 2020-21.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was candid about his long-term prognosis after Wednesday’s practice, where he revealed that he’s uncertain if he’ll overcome a lingering upper-body ailment that has kept him out of 15 games this season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs (23-13-2) closed out 2024 with a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders, jumping into a tie with the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division. But diehard fans might not be in the most celebratory mood on New Year’s Eve,