Auston Matthews is the captain and most prominent figure of the Toronto Maple Leafs following Mitch Marner’s departure to the Vegas Golden Knights. As the franchise continues to prepare for the 2025-26 NHL season with a tough rebuild, the team’s star delivered some good news alongside a Utah Mammoth player.
Toronto avoided making reckless moves in free agency and instead prioritized preserving its core by extending the contracts of players like John Tavares and Matthew Knies. The team also added smart reinforcements such as Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua, and Henry Thrun. Still, high expectations largely depend on Matthews’ condition.
Returning to on-ice activity is an important milestone for a player recovering from injury, as is the case with Matthews, who was recently seen skating alongside a standout Mammoth player. Although this is a common summer image due to the strong bond between the two players, Matthews’ current condition makes it especially noteworthy.
Matthews’ workout
“An annual summer ritual: Clayton Keller & Auston Matthews on the ice at the Mountain America Community Iceplex adjacent to Mullett Arena,” revealed NHL insider Craig Morgan, reporting that Matthews and Keller have been skating together, each wearing their team’s gear.
Matthews and Keller have trained together during several previous summers in Arizona. This joint training relationship reinforces the idea that Matthews has regained his physical form and is ready to return to the highest level of competition, something league observers interpret as an excellent sign heading into the season.
How is Matthews doing?
Matthews recently stated that he expects to be 100% physically ready for the start of the new season. He confirmed that the upper-body issue he had been dealing with since training camp is no longer affecting him and that he won’t need surgery.