Leafs' HC Craig Berube shares another disappointing update on Auston Matthews' availability against Islanders

The Auston Matthews injury saga looks to have no end date in sight. After practicing with the team on Monday, it was thought that the Toronto Maple Leafs captain would be available sooner rather than later. However, that isn't the case.

Matthews has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the New York Islanders and said he has no timeline for a potential return. An initial upper-body injury and a re-aggravation of the ailment has plagued Matthews all season.

Thursday will be the sixth straight game the 27-year-old will miss and the 15th game overall he's been unable to suit up for. In the 24 games he has played, Auston Matthews has recorded 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 24 games.

The Hockey News' David Alter shared on X what Matthews and coach Craig Berube had to share on the superstar's status moving forward.

"Auston Matthews said he's feeling better but there is no timeline on his return. Craig Berube confirmed he will not play tomorrow," Alter wrote.

It's somewhat concerning to learn that Matthews won't play on Thursday, and his return date is unknown. His next chance to make a comeback will come on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena against the Boston Bruins.

Auston Matthews is approaching the mark of missing the most games in a season of his career

With Thursday being the 15th game of the season that Auston Matthews will miss, he's creeping up on the career-most 20 games he was sidelined back in 2017-18.

This is obviously not a stat the Leafs captain or anyone in the organization wants to see. Though he has no timetable for a return to game action, it's fair to wonder if he'll continue to miss time with his injury. Matthews had been relatively healthy before 2024-25, having appeared in 280 out of a possible 302 games in the last four seasons.

Even without the 69-goal-scorer, Toronto remains tied for first in the Atlantic division with the Florida Panthers (48 points), having managed a record of 9-5-0 in his absence. The strong play of Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander has been the catalyst for the Maple Leafs continuing their winning ways.

The Maple Leafs will carry on with their stretch without the captain on Thursday at the UBS Arena against the New York Islanders. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. EST.