The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed captain Auston Matthews on injured reserve, the team announced on Friday.
Rookie winger Easton Cowan was recalled from the Toronto Marlies, while goalie Joseph Woll was activated to the roster. The Leafs sent down goalie Artur Akhtyamov to the AHL in a corresponding move.
Matthews was hit from behind by Boston Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov during Tuesday’s game, but it’s unclear if he suffered the injury on that play. He responded by hitting Zadorov shortly after, later leaving Toronto’s bench mid-game.
Matthews didn’t play against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, as Toronto suffered an eventual 4-3 overtime loss, dropping its fourth straight game.
The Leafs’ captain has nine goals and 14 points across 17 games this season.
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Cowan has played 10 NHL games, registering a goal and four points. He appeared in two AHL games with the Marlies.
Woll could make his season debut as soon as Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks, with goalie Anthony Stolarz’s availability in doubt. Stolarz, who was pulled from Tuesday’s game against the Bruins after the first period, also missed Thursday’s game against the Kings with what the team is calling an upper-body injury.
Dennis Hildeby started in goal for the Leafs last night.
Woll missed the start of the season while tending to a personal matter. He played two games with the Marlies, stopping 25 of 28 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss on Wednesday.
Woll appeared in a career-high 42 games with Toronto last season, finishing with a 27-14-1 record, .909 save percentage and 2.73 goals against average.
The Leafs enter Saturday second-last in the Atlantic Division with 18 points, but only four back of the first-place Montreal Canadiens.