I CANNOT believe this...

[@DIGIDANN]

That cross check after the wistle behind the sabres net and stayed down for a minute. Thought he looked hurt

[@stephenhamel925]

Yup I knew it right away too. Not surprised. Looks like a back issue. Those are not good.

[@brianpashka9152]

The Sabres were taking shots at him all game last night. After being run at twice on the same shift, Morgan Rielly of all people dropped the gloves to stick up for him. He also took a heavy crosscheck to the lower back area that knocked him to his knees. You could tell that one hurt him! He was hit more last night than any other game this year. Coincidentally, Ryan Reaves wasn’t in the lineup….

[@Will_delete]

When you’re playing a loser thug team like the Sabres, you’d think the Leafs would put Reaves in there.

[@ronniepitre9785]

They play much better when he’s not playing. Not worried at all. GO LEAFS GO

[@dalecronkwright6990]

Maybe they should play as hard when he is in the lineup they would be that much bettet and not expect Matthew's to carry the load when he plays

[@ronniepitre9785]

@ . When Matthews was out for 10 games. The boys were 8 wins, 2 losses. Go figure!’n

[@shaneturner1809]

Yes ! Darius!! Leave Matthews on LTIR for the rest of the year and get 2 more 6 million dollar guys on the roster for the playoffs. Love it!

[@johnsummerhill8323]

Won't happen.

[@johnsummerhill8323]

Won't happen.

[@shaneturner1809]

@@johnsummerhill8323 Don't be so sure. Especially if he's dealing with back issues.

[@johnsummerhill8323]

The guy is going to miss a few games. Not the rest of the season. He may not even miss the obligatory 10 games and 24 days. He is not dead and buried.

[@shaneturner1809]

@johnsummerhill8323 No one's saying he's dead and buried. He's the most important piece to a cup run. If he's got a messed up back, the longer he rests the better. He may return again to end December. But if closer to the deadline, he's still only 75%. Shut him down until the playoffs and add 2 other guys to bolster the roster for the playoffs, where salary cap doesn't matter

[@devlinfoyston5522]

Much love from Sudbury Ontario Canada

[@Lacosanostra699]

Leafs are going to do some fancy shit with the cap this year, guaranteed.

[@georgebenevides]

I'm not surprised. Buffalo players did take some shots at Mathews. That crosscheck was the reason why Reilly went after one of the sabres.

[@tonybozzelli287]

AM better not think of playing in the 4 Nations thing

[@ernestglasier4567]

Why is the officating not calling a hard Crosheck on Mathew whick I saw at close Range and No Penalty Called by the Officalls maybe they were feeling sad for the Sabres losing Streaks and all the leafs fans There. It seems around the leaque with no proteckion for the stars on all the teams around The NHL by the Officalls not calling Penalties.

[@johnzaferis4834]

I wonder sometimes what those guys are made of honest to God. They keep it up like that. There's going to be nobody left

[@oldhab7890]

If was the crosscheck that reaggravated his injury, the "upside" is it is a back injury and not a head injury. For Matthews' future avoiding a CTE is great. This is not great news for Matthews come the playoffs as every team aggressively clears the net ( or in other words crosschecks anyone in front of the net). The suggestion that the Leafs pull off a Tampa Bay is a good one. Thirteen million will buy a lot of players for the playoff.

[@andrewlittle6097]

Knies for Bennett Would bringing Klingberg in at the AHL level make sense ? Could he help the powerplay ? What’s going on with Hakanpa?

[@viewcrest]

I hope he’s out for a while to deal with the injury properly. Not a good idea to try and play through it in December and have the possibility of not being 100% for the playoffs.

[@joshuadisotell1388]

Wonder why leafs eyeing a centers and Top LW and Frank Vatrano would let other pick on teammate so keep an eye on C/W Frank Vatrano and C Mason McTavish And C/LW Scott Laughton and C Nick Bjugstad or C Christian Dvorak and C Ryan McLeod or C Jack Evans and C Juuso parssinen in leafs trade rumors

[@theholidayshow1026]

Matthews shouldn't be playing until he is healed fully

[@chrismckinnon4241]

It was the Buffalo game and the Tage Thompson hit that took him out, Reilly stepped on to fight and now look what we have ….our captain out yet again….can we have some truckulance please.

[@NickArcieri]

Well. At least Matthews and Marner are split up now

[@BlakeSparling]

Yeah but now Kampf might be line 1 I hate it 😡

[@Will_delete]

Numbers show that a better team will show up without him! One day someone will be able to explain that.

[@HOBBS-4]

Leafs were in need of one center, now make that two centers.

[@MrNicolas61]

Bro. They're waiting as long as they can to put him on LTIR and then use his cap hit to grab 2 ringers at the TD.

[@CorruptedConCanadian]

Finally marner be on fire again

[@warricknoseworthy4805]

Stop with the bullshit on Marner open ur eyes he is stiil producing..you Leaf fans are blind

[@MarcHansen-d2z]

I can believe it.

[@alexmcwhirter3812]

If that's all it took to knock Papi out a couple of little cross checks he wouldn't help in the playoffs. The playoffs are way more physical than those two little love taps from Tage.

[@AnthonyYoung-n7b]

I know what the injury is...he hurt his moustash! Get well soon lets go buds!

[@joseduarte1139]

This is getting too redundant

[@catherinekarisny3929]

Sabers definitely were trying to hurt him. So fucked up.

[@joshuadisotell1388]

From rumors that Matthews may be deal with his neck he maybe a bad disc in his neck if true or not we will see?

[@Alex-g4h1q]

He was not 100% berube said in a comment yesterday that he wasn't 100% when he came back playing. He was reaggrivated before last night game. Thr berube comments were on tsn daytime yesterday

[@ChuckStagg]

Worry about goal tending instead. Woll looks like he is human, Hildaby not ready for the big stage yet and in his only game against the sad sack Sabres Murray was clumsy, slow and fighting the puck.

[@Alex-g4h1q]

As for LTIR..Treliving wasted nearly 10 mil last season and did nothing.. ohhh but people love this idiot gm

[@RicSpadafora]

Sit Matthew's until he's 100 per cent to play. Leafs win without as well....bring up Logan from the Marlies and give him a chance to play in the NHL he's a centre man.

[@Stacksrap]

Look at teams in the past who have won cups. Any players that pull Matthews stunts win cups? I say no. He will have only played 24 G and make a return to playoffs just to be the log on the ice. If hes out, then be out in playoffs too! we dont need a slow scared battered half ready player in the playoffs. He wont be blocking shots in the po either

[@alex_angri]

Matthews is injury prone

[@CowboyCaps]

Looks like Back problems.

[@BlakeSparling]

Just pls don’t put Kampf line 1 I want JT with marner again move JT up for JT marner and knies

[@mattrix4200]

Good

[@scottthompson4202]

Captain Scratchews

[@gdavho8778]

He needs acupuncture.

[@toddshowan3871]

I am not now, nor have i ever been a mathews fan. Too soft. Not durable. Has disappeared in the playoffs since day 1. Every team knows how to thwart him. Just hit, poke, slash shove And face wash him. He cowers and never.... ever... answers the bell. Leafs always play better without him. Just think what we could have gotten for him??? My God. Probably a legit STUD DMan, and a solid center to replace him. Plus. Plus. And to think that they made this guy the captain over Tavares???? WTF were they thinking? Hockey is so much more than PP goals in mid-season games that mean nothing. In the playoffs and in the tough going...mathews couldn't carry Tavares bag to the rink. Period. A captain answers the bell. Plays hard every shift. Hurt. Sore. Never backs down. Leads by example. Isn't afraid to go to the tuff spots. You know... like Tavares. Trade this clown. NOW.

[@John577]

Clearly a broken rib. You can't play with a hurt back. Berube says you can play through.. Cracked ribs is the only thing he would play through.

[@DUSTER-BUSTER88]

And when he does come back I think they should throw him on the wing, and let JT do the heavy work in the middle

[@NFLDPONY]

Start with getting Chris Kreider

[@NFLDPONY]

Definitely a rib issue from that dirty cross check Friday night

[@johngreystone]

Mathews is probably out for the year. He needs to be shut down till the 4 nations cup. Americans need him then for sure