Dave Feschuck makes his feelings extremely clear on whether Auston Matthews should prioritize Stanley Cup pursuit with Leafs or 4 Nations with USA

Toronto Male Leafs star forward Auston Matthews has missed the last two games and nine games last month due to an upper-body injury.

With the annual 4 Nations Cup coming up in February, there is a debate over whether Matthews should prioritize getting healthy to help the Leafs pursue a Stanley Cup or suit up for Team USA.

On Tuesday's episode of Overdrive, analyst Dave Feschuk made his stance clear: Matthews should sit out the 4 Nations tournament and focus solely on the Leafs.

"If this guy can get better with time, why doesn't he just take time, free up that $13.25 million in cap space. The Leafs can go on a shopping spree, Auston can head off to Munich for more 'treatment'. Forget the 4 Nations Cup, this is about the Stanley Cup and the pursuit thereof."

Feschuk argues that with the Leafs being legitimate Cup contenders this season, Matthews' priority should be getting back to 100% health so he can lead the team on a deep playoff run. Taking time off would also allow the Leafs to potentially make roster upgrades with his salary cap space freed up.

Co-host Michael DiStefano countered that, as team captain, Matthews may feel an obligation towards the Leafs.

"Like now he's got the C on his chest. Maybe he does hold a little bit more responsibility to the team than doing stuff when it comes to choosing leafs or Team USA, he's wearing the C for the Maple Leafs down, that should come into play as well when you think about it."

It remains to be seen whether Matthews will be healthy enough to play in February's tournament or if he will take an extended break to recover.

Leafs coach Craig Berube on Auston Matthews's injury

Auston Matthews took two hard hits during his last game in the Leafs' 6-3 win against Buffalo, which may have exacerbated his existing injury.

On Matthews' injury, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said:

"He's going to rest here over the break and hopefully he comes back in a lot better shape. He gets relief at times, but it's not good enough." (per NHl.com)

Last month, Auston Matthews took a five-day trip to Germany to consult with a specialist about his ongoing upper-body injury. When asked if the latest injury is related to the previous one, Berube suggested it's likely a combination of both.

The coach did not confirm whether Matthews will be available for their next game against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, stating that he needs to wait and see how Matthews responds to rest over the next few days.