Yahoo Sports "Nothing To Make Me Worry About That': Brad Treliving Says Auston Matthews And 4 Nations Face-Off Talk Can Wait
Ever since Auston Matthews sustained an upper-body injury this season, there was always the thought that it might not be in the best interests of both the player and the Toronto Maple Leafs to have the star forward take part in the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which is set to take part in Boston and Montreal next month.
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving was asked if he had a conversation with Matthews about the player's participation.
"There's nothing right at this point to make me worry about that," Treliving said. "We still are a month away. With all the players, you look at where they're at, at that time. But hopefully, there's no setbacks and everything keeps moving forward."
Matthews was named as one of the first six players to Team USA in the summer. But the star forward has been battling through an upper-body injury that he initially sustained in training camp. He has had two stints where he was forced to miss action. What was initially considered a minor issue escalated, leading to Matthews being placed on injured reserve on November 8th, retroactive to November 3rd. This first stint sidelined him for nine games.
When Matthews returned, he was sidelined just before the holiday break following a cross-check by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert. Matthews missed an additional six games and returned on Jan. 4 against the Boston Bruins.
"I think the question at the time was asked — nothing's a hundred percent, right? We don't know any of us...We're all day to day, aren't we?" Treliving said. "We gave it a lot of time. He put a lot of work into to getting through it. And, touch wood, that we're on the other side of it.
"I think you can see by his play since he's been back, he's, he's feeling good. We're hopeful that, hopeful it's behind him.
Matthews is one of four Leafs selected to take part in the first-ever four-team tournament. Mitch Marner will represent Canada. William Nylander is on Team Sweden, while injured defenseman Jani Hakanpaa was named to Team Finland.
Matthews has 14 goals and 17 assists in 29 games this season. including three goals and five assists in the five games played since his most recent return to action.
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