Mitch Marner brushes off any concern around Auston Matthews as Leafs captain misses practice

Auston Matthews missed Toronto Maple Leafs practice on Monday and this news came as a concern for the fans because he has played well in the playoffs. Matthews has scored one goal and added four assists in four games. But the team has said that it was just a rest day for him.

Mitch Marner, who is leading the Leafs' offense in the postseason with seven points, spoke about Matthews missing practice and showed no worry.

"No, no, he’s in great spirits & he’s feeling good," Marner said, via insider Mark Masters. "Yeah, I mean, some days you just need an extra little bit of rest."

Earlier this season, Auston Matthews missed 15 games due to an upper-body injury. He first missed nine games and then his injury re-aggravated, and he missed another six. He even had to visit an expert doctor in Germany. And since then, there's been a cloud around Matthews' health.

However, apart from the above-mentioned duration, he has not missed regular-season games. Additionally, he has played in all four playoff games. Also, there is no sign that he will miss Game 5 against Ottawa.

Coach Craig Berube also said there is nothing to worry about. Berube pointed out that Auston Matthews played a lot of minutes (26:23) in the last game.

“I look at the minutes," Berube said, via Toronto Sun. "Played a lot of minutes last game. I have conversations with guys about it. They feel like they need a little more rest, I think it’s a good thing."

Auston Matthews' presence has helped the Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews has been playing on the top line with Marner and Matthew Knies. The line has been strong both at even strength and on the power play. They have scored four goals together at 5-on-5 without giving up any. Their strong play is one reason the Leafs are leading the series 3-1.

Additionally, when Matthews is on the ice, Toronto has outscored Ottawa 5-0 at even strength. In all situations, the Maple Leafs have a 10-1 advantage with him on the ice. Matthews’ impact has been very clear, and his strong two-way play has helped Toronto take control of the series.

David Kampf filled in for Auston Matthews during Monday’s practice, but he will play on his usual line in the next game. Also, the Toronto Maple Leafs have an opportunity to finish the series at home in Game 5 for the first time since 2004.