Reporter Says Matthews’ Chiropractor Slipped Up by Addressing Back Injury

Auston Matthews‘ offseason work with sports chiropractor Shawn Robek offered some really good news about the Toronto Maple Leafs captain and star forward. Things are coming along nicely; Matthews is feeling good, and there should be no delays for the start of the 2026-27 season. However, some believe Robek’s recent comments weren’t all positive.

What many assumed was work on Matthews’ knee took an interesting turn into a discussion about his back. Robek may have accidentally confirmed something Toronto didn’t know for sure: that Matthews really was dealing with a back issue.

Matthews’ chiropractor in Scottsdale, Arizona, did a radio interview in Toronto on Thursday and said that Matthews’ back wasn’t the focus of their work this summer. On the surface, that’s great news. However, if we read between the lines, as Sid Seixeiro assumed, it meant Matthews’ back had been a focus in the past, which could explain the superstar’s big drop-off.

The podcast host said, “Maple Leafs fans might find it interesting.”

Auston Matthews' chiropractor in Scottsdale, Arizona did a radio interview in Toronto on Thursday.

Maple Leafs fans might find it interesting. #sick #thesidseixeiroshow @Sid_Seixeiro pic.twitter.com/ZsTQplu8Pd

— The Sid Seixeiro Show (@sidseixeiroshow) August 13, 2026

Robek joined TSN 1050’s First Up on Wednesday and spoke in detail about Matthews’ surgically repaired knee, describing himself as part of a larger specialist team working on the surrounding soft tissue, cleaning up the joints, and incorporating corrective exercises. He said Matthews has been showing up with real energy and optimism heading into the season.

So far, all good.

But it was a smaller comment that caught co-host Seixeiro’s attention. Robek noted that the back isn’t the focus this summer, which he believes suggests it had been a focus before. Seixeiro said he was surprised the doctor would reveal that at all, calling it close to a slip, since it effectively confirmed Matthews was managing a back issue at some point, even if it’s calmed down now.

Seixeiro implied that the pieces were starting to fit together. Why else would Matthews go from 69 goals to 33 the next season? Why would he drop from 78 points to 53 in only seven fewer games last year?

The good news is that things seem fine now. If anything, Matthews is working to keep it that way. The hope is that, should there have been a back problem, it doesn’t flare up again.

With camp approaching, the news on Matthews is mostly positive. But it’s no surprise that a member of the media found a snippet from an interview and looked at the negative, sky-is-falling possibility. Matthews’ knee work is on track and the back isn’t currently a concern. That’s what the takeaway from that interview should be.

Next: A McKenna 60-Point Rookie Season Means More Than Bunting’s