Zadorov Shares His Take on Hit That Injured Auston Matthews

Tuesday night was not a fun experience for Toronto Maple Leafs fans. A two-game losing streak extended to three, thanks to another 5-3 loss to the rival Boston Bruins, though the score wasn’t even indicative of how poorly they played.

Not only was the effort and performance concerning, but injuries continued to pile up for the Maple Leafs, none bigger than the captain, Auston Matthews, who left in the second period after taking a hit from bruising Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov. 

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The collision certainly wasn’t as vicious as the one that knocked Scott Laughton out of Saturday’s contest, though it was enough to end Matthews’ night early. 

Zadorov was asked about the play during his postgame media availability.

“It was just a normal play. I didn’t really hit him. I hit my right shoulder. 99% of my hits in the NHL are with my right shoulder… There wasn’t really any intention to hurt him. Just play hard against top players on the other team; that’s my job,” Zadorov said.

Matthews finished the game with just 10:51 of ice time, held pointless in that action, seeing his season totals fall to 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 17 games on the new campaign. 

What Is Auston Matthews’ Status?

The number one storyline in Toronto moving forward now shifts to the health of Matthews, who, of course, struggled with a nagging injury throughout the entirety of the 2024-25 season.

While fans were seeking immediate answers on his status, head coach Craig Berube didn’t have too much of an update to provide after the loss.

“I don’t know exactly. I can’t give you a timeline or how serious it is right now. I’m not sure when he hurt it, to be honest with you,” Berube said.

It’s a concerning development, to say the least, and Matthews wasn’t the only Maple Leaf that suffered an injury on Tuesday, as goaltender Anthony Stolarz was done after one period because of an upper-body ailment. 

Lots to keep an eye on in the coming days as the Maple Leafs look to prevent their season from spiraling out of control before it really even gets going.

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