Leaf notes: Matthews waits at least one more game for return

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When you’ve waited nearly all of November to get better and missed eight games, another few days won’t matter. 

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By early Wednesday, it was clear Auston Matthews was not going to jump back into the Maple Leafs’ lineup for the evening game against the Florida Panthers with just one full practice under his belt. 

He and Craig Berube will now wait for the possibility of a return Saturday in Tampa Bay, the coach saying both men are willing to err on the side of caution with his mystery upper body injury. 

“He had a really good practice Tuesday, but he’s been off a while,” Berube told reporters in Florida. “Him and I and the organization believe he needs a little bit more to be ready to go.  

“It’s not a healing thing, he’s feeling good. it’s more of a stamina (issue), getting up to speed, making sure he’s ready. You don’t want to rush it, you want to make sure he’s comfortable.” 

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With Matthew Knies back practising, but not ready a week after his bell was rung by a Zach Whitecloud check, no changes were made to Wednesday’s lineup against the Panthers, other than Anthony Stolarz replacing Joseph Woll in goal. 

RINGING ENDORSEMENTS   

There was one final gathering of the full 2024 litter on Wednesday morning for three Cats-turned-Leafs. 

The three former members of Florida’s 2024 Stanley Cup champions met with their ex-teammates and general manager Bill Zito at the club’s practice facility to receive their jeweled title rings. 

“A great feeling, a lot of emotion coming into that room and seeing all the guys,” Oliver-Ekman Larsson told the media in Florida, joined by Stolarz and Steven Lorentz for the ceremony. “It was kind of going through your head what you went through, the battles with that group. It meant a lot to get that chance (to hug everybody and say a few words (rather than take delivery of the rings in Toronto).” 

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“What we had in there was something special. But it’s a new year, I’m happy to be here to help the Leafs out to the same goal. It was tough (to leave), but I’m super excited to be a Leaf, to try and do something special and that’s kind of what I went for.  

“Looking at our team, there’s a lot of especially talented players I feel good about and I had that feeling about Florida. I like the way we’re forechecking and defending in the last 10 games or so, you can tell we’re figuring it out.” 

 Lorentz expected a huge bauble and wasn’t disappointed when he opened the box. 

“Pretty cool, massive, I don’t know where I’ll be wearing it. It takes up a lot of space,” he said. “They did a great job with (Wednesday’s gathering), all the guys, the coaches and staff, it just brought back a lot of memories.” 

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GLAD STEVE STUCK AROUND 

Lorentz was asked how bad his frustration level was last year when coach Paul Maurice chose not to use him in the regular season before he appeared in 16 of 24 playoff games in the Cup run. Lorentz didn’t seek a trade. 

“I’d be lying if I said there weren’t days when I was saying: ‘I just want to play, I want a chance,” Lorentz said. “That being said, above all, I wanted to win.” 

He tried to make mundane tasks meaningful, such as staying out late at practice if No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky wanted extra shooting work. 

“He made me feel it was the world to him,” Lorentz said. “He and I have a little bond. Maybe I can use (that practice against him).” 

LOOSE LEAFS 

John Tavares played in NHL game No. 1,130 on Wednesday, passing ex-Leafs Dave Ellett and Glenn Anderson on the league career list …  It was 65 years ago Thursday that running back Gerry James won a Grey Cup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and a few weeks later, returned to duty as a right winger with the Leafs. Toronto made the 1960 Stanley Cup final and James became the only man to make the championship round of both the CFL and NHL. He died at age 89 in February … After Woll was gracious enough to sign a Leafs sweater for a fan from Hamilton after after a recent practice, the guy gave him a Tiger-Cats hat in return. The Missouri resident said later he didn’t know they were a CFL team, only familiar that his MLSE brethren, the Argonauts, had just won this year’s Grey Cup.

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