Craig Berube Shares an Update on Auston Matthews' Return Timeline

Auston Matthews missed last night's game between the Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders after yet again re-aggravating his previous injury, which forced him to miss several weeks earlier this season.

The Leafs lost 6-3 to the Islanders, and in his post-game press conference, the Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, who didn't seem happy about the loss, provided an update on the captain's return timeline.

He stated that he doesn't know when Matthews will be back, but he hopes the player will have time to recharge and feel better with the upcoming holiday break.

In his own words:

The Leafs will be in action tomorrow against the Winnipeg Jets, and likely won't be able to count on Auston Matthews.

However, Berube hinted that he could return on Friday or Saturday after the break, for the game against the Detroit Red Wings or Washington Capitals.

It seems obvious that Matthews wasn't healthy when he came back. He has struggled to bring his usual speed, leaving many fans and analysts that the Leafs possibly rushed his return.

The Leafs must be careful with him. If the team wants to see its captain get back to his old self, time will be key.

Matthews has 23 points in 24 games, but only scored 11 goals, a rhythm far from what we've seen earlier in his career. Just last season, he tallied 69 goals. He'll have some catching up to do if he wants to beat his previous mark.