Matthews also explained that he didn’t want to state the exact nature of the injury because he believed opponents could target that area in the future. “It’s my right to (keep it private), I believe,” he said.
He added that he doesn’t believe the pressure of playing in Toronto is a problem, even though the Leafs failed to advance beyond the second round for the ninth consecutive season since he joined the team as the No. 1 pick in 2016.
“I love playing in Toronto and playing for this fan base and this organization,” Matthews said. “I think that kind of stuff is just kind of outside noise that isn’t really focused on or talked about too much in our locker room.”