Auston Matthews injury return: Top insider earmarks key game for Leafs captain's comeback

Auston Matthews has been sidelined for the last three games. The Toronto Maple Leafs are missing their captain but they have yet to lose a game without him. Nevertheless, getting him back will be vital to their success. One hockey insider believes the return date, which has yet to be specified by the team, is coming soon.

"My best guess would be Saturday," Chris Johnson said on Monday's edition of 'Overdrive.' "I don't know that that's firm or decided, but I do think that they just elected to take a bit more time. If you give him a few more days off, what level of difference does that make? What version is he? I think the fact that the Leafs won the three games without him last week makes it easier."

The Maple Leafs probably won't go undefeated in his absence for much longer, but the team's depth and strength allow them to exercise some caution with Matthews

If the timeline presented by Johnston ends up being accurate, Matthews will have missed about two weeks of action. The Leafs are 9-5-2 and second in the Atlantic Division, trailing only the Florida Panthers.

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Maple Leafs coach reveals extent of Auston Matthews' injury

Auston Matthews has an upper-body injury. According to Leafs coach Craig Berube, he has been dealing with it since the preseason. The team is hopeful that this time off will put everything behind him.

Auston Matthews is nursing an injury right now (Imagn)

“We’re all trying to figure it out and work on it and make sure we get him back and this thing doesn’t occur again over the course of the year," Berube on Monday, via Toronto Sun. "It’s not something you want lingering on throughout the season, so we’re trying to do our best to not allow that to happen.”

There is still no official word from the Leafs on when Matthews will return. Toronto GM Brad Treliving echoed the sentiment that they would like to "get ahead of it" and move forward with a fully healthy Matthews for the rest of the season.