Auston Matthews' PCR COVID-19 test came back negative while Connor McDavid tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. Additional tests are required to determine their status for Wednesday's game.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews may be able to play against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, provided he gets another negative COVID-19 test result and gets clearance from the medical team.
One day after the star forward tested positive for COVID-19 on a rapid antigen test, the PCR test that followed came back negative.
Matthews was held out of practice for the second consecutive day on Tuesday. After testing positive on a rapid antigen test on Monday morning, the subsequent PCR test he took on Monday returned negative. He was kept off the ice again as a precautionary measure and took another COVID-19 test on Tuesday.
"If it's deemed that he's ready to play and able to play then we're confident that he can drop right in from a systems standpoint," Keefe said of Matthews. "As for his health, they (Maple Leafs medical team) will tell me if he's available and we'll go from there."
The Oilers could be missing their top player for the highly anticipated matchup as Connor McDavid missed Edmonton's practice on Tuesday after both he and teammate Derek Ryan tested positive for COVID-19.
"The way things are going here, it's just a daily occurrence," Oilers coach Dave Tippett said.
Both players took another test today and the club is awaiting those results before determine each players' status.
A lot of the shine that typically precedes a Maple Leafs game against the Oilers is wearing off. In addition to the possibility that two of the best players in the league may not be able to play, there's also the fact that fans won't be in the building to watch it, due to current government restrictions as COVID-19 cases surge across North America.
That'll be particularly unusual for Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman. The Toronto-born forward spent his first six seasons with his hometown club before signing a seven-year, $38.5 million contract.
"I think everyone is used to it but obviously I would have liked to have fans in the building, would like it be normal and like everybody to playing on both sides," Hyman said. "But the reality is we're still in this and hopefully we're coming out of it now and things can get back to normal soon."
Hyman missed his first chance to play against the his former club on Dec. 14 with shoulder injury.
With Matthews' status uncertain. John Tavares' moved up to the Maple Leaf's first line alongside Michael Bunting and Mitch Marner.
"It's not ideal but we've had games over the last few years without him that you can draw from those experiences," Tavares said of Matthews. "It's an opportunity for everyone to raise their game. Obviously, you're never going to replace the type of player that he is and the impact that he makes."
Bunting moved from the second power-play unit to the first spot in Matthews' absence.
Maple Leafs forward Ondrej Kase missed practice on Tuesday and is day-to-day after he "tweaked something" in the gym before practice, according to Keefe.
With the Leafs short a forward at practice, Alex Biega filled in a forward on the third line.
Assistant coach Dean Chynoweth, who was revealed to have tested positive for COVID-19 on a rapid antigen test at the same time as Matthews, had his positive test confirmed on Tuesday and has entered protocol.