"The Maple Leafs and Auston Matthews are hopeful he won't need surgery. They won't know for probably a week or two, but they are hopeful he won't need it. The key thing here is, even if he does need surgery, there isn't any concern at this time that it would take him into next season. They believe he'll be able to recover over the summer and will start next season on time."
"There is no question in my mind that internally, it will have ramifications on the future and the construction of the team. I tried to speak to as many people as I could. Words like 'embarrassed' and 'apoplectic' were thrown around about how everybody felt about what happened. It was a pretty emotional scene in the second intermission."
"Since he is not going to play now, he has some time to think about it. They'll have time to talk to him about it. Sometime over the next couple of months, we are going to get a better idea of how everybody feels about the overall future of Matthews and the Maple Leafs."
Radko Gudas' knee-on-knee hit that ended Auston Matthews' season with a Grade 3 MCL tear generated significant league-wide conversation during the trade deadline period. The Maple Leafs and Matthews hope surgery won't be necessary, with a decision expected within one to two weeks. Even if surgery is required, there is no concern it will extend into next season, allowing Matthews to recover over the summer and start on time. The incident has created internal ramifications within the organization, with staff expressing strong emotions including embarrassment and anger. The forced time away provides an opportunity for Matthews and the Leafs to reassess their relationship and future direction, with clarity expected over the coming months.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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