Sports

$22,566,770 Maple Leafs defenseman makes his feelings known about impact of Auston Matthews’ absence through injury

$22,566,770 Maple Leafs defenseman makes his feelings known about impact of Auston Matthews’ absence through injury – Source: Imagn

The Toronto Maple Leafs were without team captain and superstar forward Auston Matthews during their recent 4-0 victory over their divisional rival Boston Bruins. He’s dealing with an upper-body injury and has been designated as day-to-day by the team.

Despite the win, the absence of Matthews is a major hole in the lineup. Naturally, the Leafs who are healthy enough to play want to pick up the slack until he’s able to return.

Defenseman Jake McCabe spoke about the importance of putting in the work when a key player is absent, and that it’s a chance for everyone to be better as a group.

“I think everyone wants to just step up and pull that extra weight that we’re missing,” he said. “And you can’t divert to one of our superstars; you gotta do it yourself, and you gotta do the work yourself. I think that maybe has something to do with it. We know we’re missing one of the best players in the world, so you gotta be that much better. I’m not really sure. I can’t put a finger on it.”

“But I’ve definitely felt that,” he continued. “I think everybody just knows they’ve gotta give that much more when you’re missing one of your top dogs. Guys divert less to our top dogs, and I think that’s a good mentality to have, especially when he comes back.”

Jake McCabe signed a five-year contract worth $22,566,770 with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 28. As per Spotrac, this also includes a signing bonus of $14,525,000.

The Maple Leafs hit the ice on Friday against the divisional rival Detroit Red Wings. Right now, the status of Matthews for the matchup hasn’t been confirmed.

Auston Matthews considered day-to-day with his upper-body injury

Matthews, who is the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner as the NHL’s leading goal scorer after lighting the lamp 69 times last season, has been “fighting” through his upper-body injury, according to Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube.

“He’s been fighting through it a little bit, so obviously he’s out tonight,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said after the morning skate Tuesday. “[It has been lingering] a little bit.”

Matthews also became the first American-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 captain in Maple Leafs history. The leadership role was officially ceded to him during the offseason by former captain John Tavares, who had held the role for the last five seasons.

So far this season for the Maple Leafs, Matthews has scored five goals with six assists. The Leafs have managed a record of 36-19-2 all-time when Matthews was unavailable to play, including the win over Boston.

Related Posts

FIA Finally Breaks Silence on F1’s Tyre Cooling Controversy at Brazil GP

The Brazilian Grand Prix stirred up Formula 1’s latest technical storm, as the FIA responded to swirling rumors of teams potentially using water cooling in tyres to gain…

Sidney Crosby keeps it real about his “natural” playmaking capabilities over shooting despite approaching 600 career goals

Sidney Crosby’s journey to 600 career goals (Picture credit: Imagn) Sidney Crosby is only two goals short of achieving 600 career goals. This is a big thing for…

Tanner Jeannot ejected for catching Brock Boeser with a head hit

Tanner Jeannot ejected for catching Brock Boeser with a head hit. (Image Source: Imagn) During Thursday’s Kings-Canucks matchup, the Kings’ Tanner Jeannot delivered a hit to the head…

LIV & PGA TOUR Close to a DEAL?! | New Meeting Suggests MAJOR Progress

In a stunning turn of events, the bitter rivalry between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour may finally be nearing an end. Recent reports suggest that a groundbreaking…

Tiger Woods Daughter Has SHOCKED The Golfing WORLD!

The golfing world was left in utter disbelief recently as Tiger Woods’ daughter, Sam Alexis Woods, made her first public foray into the sport — and she’s already…

Ronaldo llega al Al Hilal para reemplazar a Neymar, prometiendo un choque épico contra Messi en la FIFA Club World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo podría unirse al Al Hilal como reemplazo de Neymar, abriendo la posibilidad de un enfrentamiento directo con Lionel Messi en el próximo Mundial de Clubes de…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *