Matthews skates with the team for the first time since picking up a lower-body injury against the Bruins on Nov. 11.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have tweaked their lines once again ahead of a matchup at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Before Toronto's morning skate on Thursday, Nicolas Roy (upper body) was on the ice for the first time since Nov. 15 against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 28-year-old, who's missed one game thus far, was skating with the team's development staff. He didn't join the team for a full skate.
Auston Matthews (lower body) joined Roy on the ice on Thursday morning, but instead of heading off when the main group stepped onto the ice, Toronto's captain remained and participated in the full morning skate.
It's his first skate with the team since going down with the injury on Nov. 11 against the Boston Bruins.
Matthews is eligible to come off the team's injured reserve at any point, but Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed on Wednesday that he won't be in the lineup against the Blue Jackets.
"It's good to see him out there with us, and just talking to him, he's feeling a lot better," Berube said on Thursday morning. "I thought he was shooting the puck pretty well, so that's a good sign."
The head coach added there's no timeline for his return, adding: "Maybe later I'll get one."
Matthew Knies, who missed Tuesday's game against the Blues with a lower-body injury, wasn't on the ice on Thursday morning. Berube also confirmed on Wednesday that Knies wouldn't play.
In terms of the lineup we'll see versus Columbus, there are a few changes.
Nick Robertson comes off the top line with William Nylander and John Tavares. Replacing him is Calle Jarnkrok, who'll play on the right side while Nylander shifts to the left wing. "Just a little bit for matchups," said Berube, "and also just a familiar area that Willy and him have together."
Robertson moves down to the second line with Bobby McMann and Max Domi, a trio that often finds success.
Easton Cowan moves down to the third line with Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz. It's the first time we'll see this group as a line since the preseason, before Laughton went down with a lower-body injury.
In the second game of the season, after returning from the injury, Laughton took a high hit from Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov and has been out ever since. He'll come off the team's IR ahead of Thursday's game as Berube confirms Laughton will play.
Dakota Joshua, Jacob Quillan, and Matias Maccelli round out the forward lines. Quillan moves down to the fourth line with Laughton's return. Maccelli remains on Quillan's wing after the center made his season debut on Tuesday against the Blues.
Sammy Blais and Matthews were the extra forwards.
The Maple Leafs' defense remains the same: Morgan Rielly with Oliver Ekman-Larsson; Simon Benoit alongside Jake McCabe; Dakota Mermis beside Troy Stecher.
Joseph Woll is projected to get his third straight start for the Maple Leafs since returning from a personal leave of absence. He has one win and a .934 save percentage through two games this season.
Nylander-Tavares-Jarnkrok
McMann-Domi-Robertson
Lorentz-Laughton-Cowan
Joshua-Quillan-Maccelli
Rielly - Ekman-Larsson
Benoit - McCabe
Mermis - Stecher
Woll (projected starter)
Hildeby
Where To Watch Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets
In the Maple Leafs' region, you can find the game on TSN4. The rest of Canada can stream the game on Sportsnet+. In the United States, ESPN+ will stream the game. The rest of the world can watch on DAZN.
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