Nov 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) skates during the warmup before a game against the Utah Mammoth at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Auston Matthews was back on the ice for a fourth straight day on Friday, and for the first time since his late scratch on Tuesday, Matthew Knies joined him.It could be called a frustrating season thus far for the Toronto Maple Leafs when it comes to injuries, and they are down several key players including captain Auston Matthews as well as star power forward Matthew Knies, who was a late scratch Tuesday.

There is some hope that they will be on the mend soon, and the latest update from Maple Leafs’ practice shows that not only is Matthews back on the ice but so too is Knies.

What today’s skate really says about when Matthews and Knies could return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup

TSN’s Mark Masters reported Friday that Matthews had taken the ice for a fourth straight day, and that Knies had also joined his former running mate during the team’s practice:

We briefly see Knies stickhandling in the neutral zone before flipping the puck to the boards where we see Matthews beginning a discussion with one of the team’s coaches.

Craig Berube was hush-hush when it came to nailing down a definitive timeline for Matthews however did mention that he wasn’t on the docket for Thursday’s game, but was non-committal about Saturday against Montreal.

Knies’ injury seems to be much less concerning and he could return as soon as Saturday against Montreal, and if not, a return on Wednesday against the Blue Jackets is also on the table.

Matthews, 28, has 14 points in 17 games this season (9 goals, 5 assists) and has shown signs of his previous brilliance however this latest setback has put him back at square one for now.

Knies, 23, has been outstanding this season with 22 points in 19 games (5 goals, 17 assists) and is one of, if not the only player this year with 20+ points and 50+ hits, cementing himself as a core part of the team’s future.

It’s a positive sign that both players are back on the ice, and with how Toronto has stepped up their game despite the losses, their return could help bring more consistency and lead to bigger and better things.

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