Toronto Maple Leafs star Matthews sidelined for at least three weeks
Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews will miss at least three weeks with a knee sprain, the team announced Friday.
The 25-year-old centre has 25 goals and 53 points in 47 contests this season.
Matthews missed two games earlier this month with an undisclosed injury and an illness.
Last season's Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP was on the ice for Mitch Marner's overtime goal against the New York Rangers on Wednesday.
The team said in a tweet the injury was suffered during that game.
"(He is) such a big part of our team and one of the best players in the world," Toronto captain John Tavares said of Matthews. "Hopefully he gets back here as quick as possible. He'll do everything that needs to be done to do that and be ready to play."
Tavares skated between Marner and Michael Bunting at Friday's morning skate, while Pontus Holmberg centred William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok.
"For us as a team, we have to come together and, not really try and fill the void, but just play to our team identity and what's made us successful," Tavares added. "We've shown good depth throughout throughout the season."
"(There is an) opportunity for other guys to step up."
The injury will prevent Matthews from taking part in next week's NHL All-Star Game in Florida. The NHL announced Friday that Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov will replace Matthews on the Atlantic Division roster.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan, 27, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Michael Cohen: A challenging star witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial
He once said he would take a bullet for Donald Trump. Now Michael Cohen is prosecutors' biggest piece of legal ammunition in the former president's hush money trial.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
As Israel pushes deeper into Rafah, Hamas regroups elsewhere in ungoverned Gaza
Israeli forces were battling Palestinian militants across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, including in parts of the devastated north that the military said it had cleared months ago, where Hamas has exploited a security vacuum to regroup.
Thousands of civilians evacuated from northeast Ukraine as Russia presses renewed border assault
Thousands more civilians have fled Russia's renewed ground offensive in Ukraine's northeast that has targeted towns and villages with a barrage of artillery and mortar fire, officials said Sunday.
Feds 'committed to doing more,' but minister offers no timeline for Canadian Disability Benefit boost
Amid significant criticism from advocates, Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities Minister Kamal Khera is defending her government's long-promised, newly unveiled Canada Disability Benefit, calling the funds an "initial step," but without laying out a timeline for future expansion of the program.
RCMP boss expresses desire for new law to deal with threats against politicians
RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme says he wants the government to look at drafting a new law that would make it easier for police to pursue charges against people who threaten elected officials.