A Maple Leafs’ Radical Return Strategy Might Irk Auston Matthews – The Hockey Writers Toronto Maple Leafs Latest News, Analysis & More

When Auston Matthews returns to the Toronto Maple Leafs later this weekend, the team will have a decision to make. If they stay hot and their power play continues to produce, would the team risk slotting their top scorer back onto the first unit and disrupt the flow that has developed with him out of the lineup?

There has been some debate about how best to put the captain back in when he’s ready, with a lot of emphasis on how well the team has played collectively without him. Clearly, the Leafs want their superstar back, but what risks are they willing to take? Their two choices may be interrupting the rhythm of the team or irking the best player on the roster if he’s asked to take a back seat.

Auston Matthews or The Team First?

Justin Bourne and Nick Kypreos got into a debate about this very topic, with Bourne arguing that he wouldn’t have an issue with the Leafs asking Matthews to take one for the team while the power play is humming. Kypreos countered that no way was happening.

Bourne said, “The one thing I’m totally fine with, and if you’re looking towards the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs to say, ‘Hey, you’ve been out, the power play is hummin’. Until it’s not hummin’, you’re going to run the second power play.” Kypreos scoffed at the idea. Bourne added that it’s not the worst thing to tell Matthews that things are going well and it’s not wise to disrupt it. The Leafs have been trying to score on the power play and finally are. The assumption is that he’ll be happy to take the smaller role for a while knowing that as the leader of the group, he needs to do what’s best for the team.

Will Matthews Actually Go For It and Not Be Upset?

Kypreos chirped back, “What world are you living in that if this power play continues to stay pretty good for the next two or three weeks that Auston’s going to take the last 15 seconds of a power play?” While Bourne contended that Matthews have never publicly said he wouldn’t do something like that and he’s got a long-term deal as the captain, Kypreos said it doesn’t matter. Publicly, Matthews might say all the right things, but behind the curtain, he’ll be frustrated about likely unhappy with the organization that signed him to a huge deal to produce in situations like that. “Behind the scenes, he’s one sour human being,” said Kypreos.

When Bourne said it depends on where you might hear that Matthews would take issue, Kypreos cut him off and said, “I am not getting information, I know these guys. I know it. I’ve lived it. I’ve seen it. You can talk about different eras, you can talk about the game’s changed. That part will never change.”

Does It Matter If Matthews Loves It?

Bourne clapped back and said that Matthews doesn’t have to love it, he just has to accept it. If it’s explained to him that the goal of the team is to win and his job as captain is to help do that, in whatever way is asked, he should gladly accept the responsibility. Unfortunately, things might not be that simple.

Kypreoshinted that people are human and just accepting the way it has to be isn’t nature. He argued the Leafs will have to find a way to make it work with Matthews on it because they don’t have the patience to wait things out and bring him back only when the power play starts to struggle again.

Kypreos argued the option is ultimately up to Matthews. He can go to them and say, “You want to see me drag my lip around here?” As the star player on the team, the job of the team is to find a solution that includes him and doesn’t leave him on the sidelines.