“He did a good job in practice today,” said head coach Craig Berube. “So we’ll go from there.”
Matthews only skated for about half an hour at practice on Monday but didn’t participate in any power play drills. His hamstring injury that he sustained during training camp ahead of the regular season continues to be a thorn in his side.
Matthews could return, though, for Thursday’s Islander matchup when the team heads to New York. The nine-year veteran is currently tied for fourth on the team in goals with 11 and tied for fifth in assists with 12.
Toronto is 1-3 in Matthews’ absence over the past week, being outscored 12-18 in those four games.
The Maple Leafs and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are currently tied atop the Atlantic Division with a 22-13-2 record. Both teams are 6-4 in their last 10 games and have a +10 point differential on the season.