Maple Leafs Dealt Brutal Injury News

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without superstar forward Auston Matthews for at least three weeks. Matthews suffered a sprained knee on Wednesday against the New York Rangers and will be inactive for the coming weeks. 

Matthews has been playing banged up throughout most of this season thanks to a left wrist injury and now will have to do some rehab on his knee. The Leafs star won't be attending the 2023 All-Star Game and has been replaced by Florida Panthers center Aleksandar Barkov.

John Tavares will now be bumped up to #1 center in Toronto, meanwhile rookie Pontus Holmberg will be promoted to the second line which features an all-Swedish group with Calle Jarnkrok and William Nylander.

As for Matthews, he's scored 25 goals and added 28 assists in 47 games this season. The reigning Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay and Rocket Richard trophy winner is now likely to lose out on all three of the awards this season. Matthews and the rest of the Leafs Nation could care less as everyone just wants him back healthy and ready to go come Stanley Cup Playoff time.

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