Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews will miss his first game this season with an undisclosed ailment.
Auston Matthews will not be in the lineup when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old took part in the team's optional morning skate after missing Tuesday's practice but stayed on the ice do some extra work, which is typical for players who are expected to be scratched later in the evening.
"I'd say he's day-to-day," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of Matthews' status. "He's obviously out there putting in lots of work and all that so he's not too far away and improving daily."
Keefe didn't rule Matthews' out for Thursday's game against the Detroit Red Wings. The Leafs have a string of three games in four nights coming up, ending with a game against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
The exact nature of Matthews' injury is unknown, although Keefe indicated that it wasn't something that happened that occurred in the last game.
"It's something that has been lingering for a while," Keefe said.
Matthews has played in every game this season. On Sunday, he picked up his 20th goal of the season in a 6-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. He's played through many bumps and bruises this season. One notable occurrence was when he was the recipient of a cross-check to the lower back from Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn back on Oct. 20. He took the following day of practice off for maintenance and played the following night against the Winnipeg Jets, but admitted that the cross-check "stung."
Within Matthews out, Pierre Engvall will move to the top line to skate on the first line with Michael Bunting and William Nylander with the latter moving over to skate at center.
Keefe said he expects Engvall to get some reps at center at some point as well.
"I really didn't want to break up our other lines," Keefe said of the adjustments to the lineup.
Bobby McMann, who was called up by the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, will make his NHL debut in Engvall's previous spot on the third line with Alex Kerfoot and David Kampf.
Matthews has 47 points in 41 games.