Maple Leafs Receive Huge Boost Ahead of Saturday's Game

Leafs Nation breathe easy, Auston Matthews is good to go. The Toronto Maple Leafs will have their superstar sniper back in the lineup on Saturday night against the Florida Panthers. Matthews has missed the previous three games with an undisclosed minor injury that he sustained against the Ottawa Senators last weekend.

Matthews has a history of battling a wrist alignment so there's potential it could be related, however with a long season you can't rule out much at this point. The Arizona native is having a Hart trophy type of season and appears set to hit the 60-goal mark with 58 on the season and four games remaining. It would be the first 60-goal season since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12.

The Maple Leafs are six points up on the Tampa Bay Lightning for second in the Atlantic Division and have recently got their asses kicked in a big way by the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. It was an emotional game that had a little bit of everything and look for the Maple Leafs to try and get back on track against the Panthers.

With Matthews back in the lineup, veteran center Jason Spezza will be scratched and looks to be in tough to make an appearance in the post season.

Jason Spezza will be out tonight, coach Sheldon Keefe says @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 23, 2022

Asked about Hart Trophy, Auston Matthews says there's lots of deserving candidates this year & adds ...

"McDavid & Draisaitl, we’ve gotten so accustomed to them just doing this every single year that you kind of lose sight of how good of a season that those two are having"
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 23, 2022