Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews intends to return Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he told reporters Friday.
Matthews hasn’t played since Nov. 3 while recovering from an undisclosed upper-body injury that is related to an issue he has dealt with since the preseason.
Matthews, speaking to reporters Friday in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, described a trip to Munich to see a specialist about his injury. That was followed by a week of workouts at home and his second full practice with the Leafs on Friday.
“In my mind I’m back and excited to play tomorrow,” Matthews said, according to the Toronto Sun.
Matthews, 27, clocked over 22 minutes in that Nov. 3 game against Minnesota before being placed on injured reserve. He has recorded 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in 13 games this season.
The Toronto captain led the NHL in goals scored for the third time in four seasons in 2023-24, tallying a career-high 69 to go along with 38 assists in 81 games.
The Maple Leafs are 13-7-2 this season.
Information from ESPN’s Kristen Shilton was included in this report.