Is Matthews playing tonight? Leafs letting team doctor make the call

The Toronto Maple Leafs face a do-or-die Game 5 on Tuesday night, but it’s still uncertain if star forward Auston Matthews will be playing.

Matthews, who left Saturday night’s Game 4 loss after 40 minutes following the team doctor’s advice, has been dealing with a lingering illness throughout the playoffs.

According to Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, the team is once again putting Matthews’ fate in the hands of the team doctor, as per The Hockey News’ David Alter.

Sheldon Keefe says Auston Matthews is working on things to get himself ready to play.

Says it will be the doctor’s call to see if he plays tonight.

“We’ll see how the rest of the day goes.”

— David Alter (@dalter) April 30, 2024

“We are hopeful that Auston is available, feeling good, and back to himself. We are hopeful for that, but we have played well with guys out in the past. We started the series without Willy and we had to deal with that. In the regular season, it was the same kind of thing. We will see what tomorrow brings,” Keefe said yesterday.

The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel added that Matthews was only on the ice for eight minutes today.

Auston Matthews stuck around for only eight minutes.

He went through a small number of drills — puckhandling, passing, and tips in front of the net — with Leafs assistant coach Manny Malholtra.

He left before the skate got underway. https://t.co/vogP0NihOT

— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) April 30, 2024

On Monday, Max Domi was centring the Leafs’ top line while flanked by Tyler Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner, with John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and William Nylander heading up the second unit.

Matthews has one goal and two assists for the team in four playoff games this year. He has not spoken to the media since before Game 4.

“It’s not one of those run-of-the-mill everyday types of illnesses that sort of come and go,” Keefe said Sunday. “This one has lingered, and the effects have lingered and gotten worse when he gets on the ice.”

Tonight’s contest is pivotal for Toronto, with all sorts of rumours swirling about the future of the franchise’s players and staff should they fail to complete the 3-1 series comeback. Puck drop is set for 7 pm ET on Sportsnet and CBC.

Leafs 2024 first-round playoff schedule

• Game 5: Tuesday, April 30, Toronto at Boston, 7 pm
• Game 6: Thursday, May 2, Boston at Toronto, TBD*
• Game 7: Saturday, May 4, Toronto at Boston, TBD*

*if necessary

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