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After a couple days of slowly working his way back, Leafs center Auston Matthews joined his teammates for practice at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke, ON. The 20-year-old, who missed three games and has been out of action for 10 days, skated with regular linemates Zach Hyman and William Nylander.
“It feels great just to get back on the ice. It was a pretty boring week when you can’t skate and watching from the outside. Just trying to do whatever I could to maintain (conditioning), rehab and whatever I can within the restrictions that the medical team gave me.” Matthews said. "It’s early in the year and you don’t want (the injury) to not fully recover and then tweak it again, you’re back to square one. We’ve just been pretty cautious. (I’ve) been feeling better day by day, that’s all you can really ask for."
Leafs coach Mike Babcock was leery of committing to Matthews return after practice, saying that how he feels the next day will be the determining factor.
“I don’t know if he’s playing (against New Jersey), to be honest with you. We’ll see (Thursday) morning at the skate.” Babcock said. “We’ll see how he handled (practicing) and all those things and the medical guys will tell me what’s going on.”
With Matthews return, the Leafs forward lines were back to where they were at the start of the season, with Tyler Bozak centering James van Riemsdyk and Mitch Marner, Nazem Kadri with veterans Patrick Marleau and Leo Komarov and Dominic Moore in between Matt Martin and Connor Brown.
Josh Leivo and the recently recalled Nikita Soshnikov were skating as extra forwards, but short of illness or injury, it will be tough for either to get crack the lineup.
“(Soshnikov) had the head injury. He spent the whole summer trying to work his way back, it took him way more time than he probably expected.” Babcock said. “We told him right away (at training camp) you are going to go back (to the AHL) and get your game going and get feeling good, and he’s been going real good down (with the Marlies) and so it’s time for him here.”
Sportsnet’s
Elliotte Friedman indicated in his “31 Thoughts” column that the Edmonton Oilers may have inquired about Leivo or Soshnikov prior to their acquiring veteran winger Mike Cammalleri on Tuesday, but the Leafs value both players and are not looking to move them unless they get a good return.
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