TORONTO, Ontario (AP) — Auston Matthews boarded a plane and crossed an ocean.
The Maple Leafs are hoping the trip provides some answers — and gets their best player back on the ice.
General manager Brad Treliving said following Tuesday’s practice his captain, out day-to-day since Nov. 5 with an undisclosed upper-body injury, is in Germany to see a doctor the star center has worked with in the past.
“More as a general checkup,” Treliving said during an unscheduled availability with reporters. “But also to get some work done on this thing.”
Matthews has missed six games and will sit out a seventh Wednesday when Toronto hosts the Vegas Golden Knights.
Treliving, who added a team doctor accompanied the star sniper to Europe, said with the Leafs playing just twice this week the organization decided to use the time to its advantage.
Treliving declined to provide further details on what’s ailing Matthews, who’s believed to have only skated twice since last playing Nov. 3.
“There’s been no setbacks,” Treliving said of the 2022 Hart Trophy winner as league MVP. “Everything’s been, actually, going quite well. We’re just trying to use the days that we’ve got here with less games being played to just try to get this behind us.”
Toronto (11-6-2) was already down three forwards with Matthews, Max Pacioretty and Calle Jarnkrok sidelined before announcing earlier Tuesday center David Kampf (lower-body injury) is also now on the shelf. Fraser Minten was recalled from the minors to take his spot.
Reaves reaction
Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves was suspended five games for Saturday’s illegal check to the head on Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
“Never want to see anybody injured,” Treliving said. “It’s a hockey play that goes wrong.”
Reaves was in Toronto’s locker room Tuesday following practice and appeared willing to speak with reporters, but the team’s communications staff intervened and made it clear the 37-year-old forward wasn’t available to comment.
“We thought it was a little high,” Leafs center John Tavares said of a ban from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety that rules Reaves out until Dec. 4. “But we’ll stick behind him … we know how effective he’s been.”
Domi struggling
Leafs forward Max Domi has just six assists — and is on a career-worst 13-game point drought — despite playing an offensive role.
The 29-year-old, who was on the ice Tuesday, missed two recent practices for maintenance.
“He’s fighting through a lot right now … he’s banged up,” coach Craig Berube said. “I’m not overly concerned. We gotta keep working through it.”
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