On Thursday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that captain Auston Matthews has undergone successful knee surgery. The procedure was completed Thursday in New York City to repair a torn MCL. In an announcement from the team, recovery is expected to take around 12 weeks.
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced an update on Auston Matthews knee injury on Thursday:
Auston Matthews Undergoes MCL Surgery
Matthews was injured after a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas on March 12. The Ducks’ captain was subsequently suspended five games for the hit. Matthews suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion as a result of the hit.
The Leafs’ captain was ruled out for the rest of the 2025-26 season last week and it seems that surgery will put him out for three months. However, he should be ready for the start of training camp in September.
The former number one overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft finished the campaign with 27 goals and 26 assists in 60 games. He did help captain Team USA to the men’s hockey gold medal at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.
Matthews has the franchise’s career record in goals scored with 428. He has 780 points in 689 career games, all with the Maple Leafs.
(Credit Image: © Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times via ZUMA Press Wire)
What It Means
Injuries and inconsistent play have doomed the Maple Leafs to likely miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Matthews has once again seen his season cut short due to injuries.
The 28-year-old has had a rough time after notching 69 goals in the 2023-24 season. He only netted 33 goals in 67 games last season, and he’ll finish short of the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career.
It’s been a massive struggle for the Leafs this season and they’ve fallen well short of the lofty expectations they’ve commanded in the last few seasons. Matthews will hope that he and the team can get back on track in the 2026-27 campaign.
Main photo by: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
