Auston Matthews' absence from the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup during the playoffs was a complete mystery. It began as an illness, before it manifested itself in the form of an injury that would keep Matthews out for both Games 5 and 6. Matthews eventually returned from Game 7, but it was too little too late and the Maple Leafs once again found themselves eliminated in the first round.
At the end of season media availability Matthews was coy with details on what kept him out, but today General Manager Brad Treliving provided some context to Matthews' absence. At the end of year Manager media availability Treliving provided the following update.
Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, it appears that both Nylander and Matthews were battling head related injuries. During his availability Treliving discussed that the team and their medical department were unwilling to allow Matthews to play while symptoms were present. The team wanted to ensure that they could rule out any head issue, which should always be the first priority.