The Toronto Maple Leafs - and the rest of the NHL - are off until Saturday and the conclusion of the 4 Nations Face-Off (which has been absolutely fantastic so far).
When the Maple Leafs return to action they will have Alex Steeves in the lineup, as he has been recalled this morning.
So they'll have Steeves, but the question on everyone's mind is "will they have Auston Matthews?"
Matthews missed Monday's USA vs Sweden game due to "upper body soreness" which a euphamism for "we don't tell our fans anything."
Auston Matthews Injured, Maple Leafs Recall Alex Steeves
Auston Matthews has played hurt this year, he's missed 15 games, and he's even travelled to Germany for answers.
What he hasn't done is regain his MVP form and match the likes of Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon this season. The Leafs have done well, but mostly because of goaltending. Make no mistake, Matthews defense and overall game have been fine, but there's a level that only he and a few other people alive can hit, and he's not been hitting it this year much, if at all.
That is why I don't think he should have been playing in this tournament in the first place. It's why I don't think the NHL should have had this tournament in the middle of the season - the injuries that occur will almost certainly play a major part in who wins the Stanley Cup this year.
Don't get me wrong - the games have been great. But if Matthews is lost to the Leafs and they waste another year of his prime, then the cost is too high.
Now perhaps since the USA had already clinched an appearance in the 4 Nations Final, they only kept Matthews out as a precaution. That is, in fact, the most likely scenario, but it doesn't prevent Leafs fans from worrying.
We've got enough problems without worrying that our best player is going to be injured playing for a team we, absolutely and without reservation, hate.
As for Steeves, he's got an insane 29 goals in 40 AHL games this year, which is like a 60 goal pace. He's not going to do that in the NHL, but here's hoping the Leafs give him an honest chance at playing real minutes on the third line or above.
What the Leafs can't do is stick Steeves with David Kampf and Connor Dewar and then wonder why he can't score. The Leafs need to give him a real shot. You shouldn't even have to say this, but when it comes to the Leafs even the most obvious thing has to be said: if you have a guy on your farm team pacing 60 goals, you don't call him up and play him with David Kampf.
And while Auston Matthews will probably play on Thursday no matter what, I really hope that he doesn't risk the Leafs season by pushing it too far and playing with any kind of injury.