Auston Matthews breaks his silence on injury status ahead of pivotal season with the Leafs
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Auston Matthews says he feels healthier than he has in a long time as the Toronto Maple Leafs captain gears up for the 2026-27 season, following a knee injury that ended his 2025-26 campaign early.
In a sit-down interview with team reporter Ryan Leslie, Matthews reflected on the grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion he suffered in a knee-on-knee collision with Anaheim's Radko Gudas in March, an injury that required season-ending surgery and kept him off the ice for the first missed playoffs of his career in Toronto.
It was a tough way to end the season last year, but I think there's always positives that you can take out of adversity and negative moments. I feel like coming back here now, probably the best I've felt in a long time, which is great.
A Long Rehab Process
Matthews described the recovery timeline as demanding, particularly in the early weeks, but said the process ultimately moved faster than expected.
The rehab and everything flew by, and I'm really happy with how I felt kind of at the end of the two and a half, three month mark. It was good to get back on the ice again.
Why a Fresh Matthews Matters for Toronto
The Maple Leafs enter the season with a retooled roster and front office, and a fully healthy Matthews is central to their hopes of returning to the playoffs.
Coming off back-to-back seasons interrupted by injury, his health at full strength gives Toronto its best chance to lean on its captain from opening night through a long playoff push.
With training camp underway, all signs point to Matthews being ready to go.
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