Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has been an inconsistent feature in the lineup this season. However, that hasn’t hindered the team’s ability to control and win games.

David Kämpf opened the scoring in his 500th career NHL game, and Mitch Marner scored a hat trick thanks in part to excellent passes from John Tavares and William Nylander. The Maple Leafs’ best players were their best players, and the overall team grade is an A.

Detroit Red Wings Lucas Raymond, Ben Chiarot & Todd McLellan, Dec. 27, 2024 in Detroit. Helene St. James. Detroit Red Wings react after 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues

Alex Ovechkin could return to the Washington Capitals lineup when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first game back from the NHL’s Christmas break

Capitals star Alex Ovechkin was a full participant in practice Friday and could return to the lineup Saturday night against the Maple Leafs after missing five weeks with a broken left leg.

TORONTO -- Auston Matthews did not play for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Friday's 5-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings and will not play on Saturday against the Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; NHL Network, MNMT 2, CBC, SNE, SNO, SNP).

Upper-body injury bothers Auston Matthews once again, and the Maple Leafs superstar will miss the next two games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without captain Auston Matthews for at least the next two games as the star center continues to nurse an upper-body injury, NHL.com reported Friday. Matthews, 27, has missed Toronto's last two games and will sit out Friday's contest at Detroit and Saturday's home showdown against Washington.