The Toronto Maple Leafs are on a two-game losing streak heading into a crucial showdown against the Boston Bruins. This is an important early-season matchup with the Bruins, but the Maple Leafs will be without a key superstar.

Captain Auston Matthews will be out of the Maple Leafs lineup due to an upper-body injury. The Maple Leafs eliminated Matthews against the Bruins and he will remain on the sidelines on a day-to-day basis.

Matthews is in his first season as captain of the Maple Leafs after receiving a C grade from John Tavares in the offseason. Matthews has yet to reach the potential that people in Toronto are accustomed to since he was named captain.

In 13 games played, Matthews scored only 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points. Fellow superstar forward Mitch Marner leads the Maple Leafs with 14 points (2G-12A) through the first 13 contests.

The Maple Leafs will have a few days off following their meeting with the Bruins before hosting the Detroit Red Wings in the first half of a back-to-back situation. The Maple Leafs are certainly hopeful that Matthews will miss just one game against their league rivals before more games arrive.

Each of the next four Maple Leafs games will be against other opponents in the Atlantic Division.

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