Berube’s Changed Tone Over Matthews’ Injury Should Panic Maple Leafs

To go from “He’s fighting through it” to “I don’t know, I’m not a doctor. I can’t answer that question.” is not exactly ideal news for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews fan. Granted, it doesn’t provide any official injury update on the captain and star forward, but the manner and tone in which head coach Craig Berube recently described Matthews’ injury seems to have changed.

---

---

Matthews’ injury situation took an unfortunate turn this week when it was reported he re-aggravated an injury, and it was a crosscheck in a game versus the Buffalo Sabres that did it. Head coach Craig Berube is unsure about his timeline for a return, and Matthews missed Saturday night’s game against the New York Islanders. The Leafs did not look good in that game. Berube’s recent comments suggest growing uncertainty about the forward’s recovery.

“It’s tough. He’s fighting through it,” Berube initially said, praising Matthews for his effort despite the injury. However, Berube’s tone shifted days later, indicating a lack of clarity about Matthews’ progress. “I’m hoping with the break coming up, he can get some relief, feel better, and be ready to go. That’s really all I can say about it,” Berube admitted.

The Maple Leafs Need a Healthy Auston Matthews

The Maple Leafs had managed well in Matthews’ absence, going 7-1-0 without him, but Saturday’s game was a far cry from that team. His prolonged recovery remains a concern and since Matthews has been battling the injury since early November, even seeking specialized treatment in Germany, the situation doesn’t sound promising.

While Berube hopes the NHL’s holiday break provides Matthews time to recover and recharge, the uncertainty surrounding his condition raises questions. Matthews’ ability to play through pain earlier in the season was commendable, but the recent setback suggests the injury may be more complicated than initially believed.

For now, Toronto fans are going to spend the holidays crossing their fingers and hoping the Matthews news turns out to be good. If it isn’t, Saturday’s game suggests there could be trouble.

Next: The Good, Bad & Ugly in the Maple Leafs’ 6-3 Loss to the Islanders