Auston Matthews is giving Jim Hiller an early health question after a summer treatment post reignited concern about his back.
Matthews recently appeared in an Instagram post from Scottsdale chiropractor Shawn Robek, who works with athletes and promotes his practice around treating back pain.
Robek didn't say Matthews was dealing with a specific injury. He simply praised the Maple Leafs captain for working hard during the summer and wished him well for the upcoming season.
That's an important distinction because Toronto has never publicly confirmed that a lingering back issue is behind Matthews' recent performance changes.
The speculation persists because Matthews hasn't returned to the scoring level that produced his 69-goal season in 2023-24.
Last season, Matthews finished with 27 goals and 53 points, making his health one of the biggest questions surrounding Toronto before camp.
Toronto needs a healthy Matthews more than anything
The Leafs did get something valuable from missing the playoffs: time. Matthews has had an extended summer to rest, train and address whatever physical issues were bothering him.
His work with Robek doesn't confirm a back injury by itself. Players routinely use different specialists during the offseason, and Matthews is currently listed as healthy.
Still, the connection will get attention because Robek's practice prominently focuses on back pain. With Matthews, even a routine offseason visit becomes notable given the questions that have followed him.
Hiller now has to decide how aggressively to deploy his captain once camp begins. Toronto needs Matthews driving the top six, but there is little value in overloading him during September if his body needs more time.
The Leafs can also use their reshaped roster to spread responsibility. Matthews doesn't need to carry every offensive shift for Toronto to have a productive start.
What matters is how he looks once the pace rises. His skating, shooting and ability to handle contact will tell the Leafs much more than an offseason photo ever could.
For now, there is no confirmed new injury and no announced setback. There is only another clue that Matthews has spent part of his summer working with someone whose specialty has naturally reopened the back conversation.
Toronto can live with August speculation. What it needs when puck drop arrives is a version of Matthews healthy enough to make those questions disappear.
Source : More signs of back trouble for Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews.
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