In a blow to the Toronto Maple Leafs, forward Auston Matthews is still at least a week away from returning to the ice due to an undisclosed upper-body injury that has sidelined him since November 3. Leafs head coach Craig Berube provided an update on Matthews' condition, assuring fans that while "he isn't getting worse," there is no immediate timeline for his comeback.

Matthews, who logged over 22 minutes of ice time in a tight overtime loss against Minnesota, originally suffered the injury during the preseason. Currently classified as day-to-day, he has been ruled out for the upcoming game against the Vegas Golden Knights. His earliest potential return could be during Sunday's match against Utah.

"It's a bit of a holding pattern," Berube explained. "It takes time to heal. He's doing everything necessary to get back in the lineup. Meanwhile, our team needs to keep pushing forward without him."

Interestingly, Matthews has not skated in recent days following his appearance at a morning skate on November 9, leading to his placement on injured reserve. The good news is that he is eligible to return at any time, pending medical clearance.

Despite Matthews' absence, the Maple Leafs have surprisingly thrived, boasting an impressive 5-1-0 record and an .833 winning percentage over the past two weeks. John Tavares has stepped up as the top-line center, netting four goals and six points in the last six games. His wingers, Mitch Marner and Bobby McMann, have also been instrumental in maintaining offensive pressure, with Marner contributing four goals and a total of ten points.

The team's depth has taken another hit, however, as center Calle Jarnkrok underwent surgery for a groin and sports hernia issue, and is now listed as month-to-month. Jarnkrok had been battling the injury since training camp and had missed portions of the early season. "It's unfortunate because he could help us, but he's got to get it fixed," said Berube.

As the team navigates through injuries to key players, the focus will be on maintaining momentum and performance on the ice. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how the team adapts during this challenging stretch and whether Matthews can make a swift recovery to rejoin his teammates. Will the Leafs hold their ground without their star player, and how will the current lineup adapt to the absences? The coming games will be crucial in answering these questions.