On Wednesday morning, when Auston Matthews did not attend Leafs practice, the city of Toronto was in a rightfully concerned. However, after an official update from head coach Sheldon Keefe, it appears as though Matthews simply opted for some extra rest after the team had labelled this one as an optional skate.
The first two games for Matthews and the Maple Leafs were very physically demanding, so it's understandable why he wanted to take a break before Game 3. We can trust that Matthews knows what he's doing after his three-point performance in Game 2 in Boston.
It appeared that Nylander might play in Game 3, from the initial reporting of TSN's Chris Johnston, who projected him to play tonight.
Sheldon Keefe, however, provided some clarification, stating that the Leafs want to wait and see how Nylander responds to the extra work at practice today before deciding whether or not he will suit up tonight.
As long as the Leafs play well and continue to win, I don't think anyone will mind Keefe taking his time with Nylander. However, if they lose Games 3 and 4 while Nylander continues to practice, that might be another story.
