:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71912225/1459793429.0.jpg "Auston Matthews injury: Maple Leafs C to miss at least three weeks with knee sprain")
Toronto Maple Leafs C Auston Matthews will miss at least three weeks due to a knee sprain. Matthews is expected to miss the NHL All-Star Game for the Atlantic Division. A replacement for Matthews has yet to be announced. Matthews had missed a few games with an undisclosed injury before returning to the lineup. The reigning NHL MVP has had a rough season after scoring 60 goals in 2021-22.
With Matthews out, the Maple Leafs will need to shuffle their lines again. They had just reunited Mitch Marner with Matthews on the top line. John Tavares and William Nylander are on the second line with Calle Jarnkrok. We could see Nylander split out to center the second line while Tavares reunites with Marner on the top line. Pierre Engvall was the wing to move up into the top-6 when Matthews was out.
This shouldn't impact too much on Friday night with the Maple Leafs taking on the Ottawa Senators at home. The Sens are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games and are 8-12-2 on the road this season. The Leafs were -205 on the moneyline against the Sens on Friday before the Matthews injury news.