Matthews to return tonight against the Sharks

We’re getting one of the important pieces back tonight. Auston Matthews will make his return from injury tonight against the San Jose Sharks at home, per Babcock.

What a long fourteen games it has been without Matthews. The Leafs have gone 9-5 during that stretch and there have been some games where his absence was extremely noticeable.

It was an awkward hit from Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba that put Matthews out with his shoulder injury, almost exactly a month ago.

Matthews has 10 goals and 16 points in the eleven games he has played this season before the hit from Trouba. To imagine it was just a few weeks ago that he was being heralded as the best player in the world and a guarantee to score 60 goals this year. What a good time that was.

One can imagine that he will be reunited with Patrick Marleau and Kasperi Kapanen tonight, but things might change before puck drop.