Auston Matthews reveals whether or not Nikita Zadorov should have been suspended

Auston Matthews finally returned to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup on Wednesday night in a win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who, for the most part, had the Leafs' number.

Matthews had been out for a total of five games after a hit from behind injured his lower body. The hit was from Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who is known for playing the game on the edge.

The defenseman did not receive supplemental discipline for the hit, which is something that led to a lot of anger and confusion from fans.

In the end, NHL Player Safety didn't see anything wrong with what happened. Sure, it was unfortunate, but it's not like Matthews was boarded or hit up high.

On Wednesday, prior to his return to action, Matthews was given a chance to speak on the hit, and reveal whether or not he felt it to be a punishable offense.

While the captain certainly seemed upset with the circumstances, he also acknowledged that he takes responsibility for how it all turned out.

Zadorov also had a big hit on Scott Laughton, which gave the forward a concussion. Much like Matthews, Laughton took the high road when pressed about supplemental discipline.

The consensus seems to be that hockey is a dangerous game, and sometimes, you put yourself in a dangerous situation. Whether or not that leads to a bad outcome can vary depending on the circumstance.

At the end of the day, fans are just happy to see Matthews back on the ice. His injury was certainly a low point for the team, but after getting a win last night, it seems like the team might finally be back on track.