Matthews, 22, reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus in May and subsequently went into quarantine at his home in Arizona.
The 6-foot-3 pivot racked up a career-best 47 goals and 80 points over 70 games during the shortened 2019-20 season, leading the club in both of those categories. Matthews was scoring at a 55-goal pace over 82 games, which would have set a single-season franchise record.
Teams will report to training camp Monday for Phase 3 of the NHL's return-to-play plan before traveling to their respective hub cities July 26. The qualifying round gets underway Aug.1. The Maple Leafs will meet the Columbus Blue Jackets in their best-of-five play-in series.
With Olympic participation included in the NHL and NHLPA's modified collective bargaining agreement, it's time for hockey fans to begin to think about what the tournament may look like. This edition takes a look at Team Russia.
Loaded with tantalizing skill and elite offensive acumen, Team Russia is in the running to repeat as Olympic gold medalists after winning the event in 2018. But with NHL players competing in 2022, will Russia's roster be strong enough to defend its crown?
Bragin will likely get his first Olympic opportunity in Beijing in 2022. The longtime world junior coach was named Team Russia's bench boss in June and will be at the helm for the 2021 world championships. In eight years under Bragin's leadership, Russia's U20 team won seven medals, including gold in 2011.
Forwards
Alexander Demianchuk / TASS / Getty
LW
C
RW
Alex Ovechkin (36)
Evgeni Malkin (35)
Nikita Kucherov (28)
Artemi Panarin (30)
Vladislav Namestnikov (29)
Vladimir Tarasenko (30)
Andrei Svechnikov (21)
Ivan Barbashev (26)
Alex Radulov (35)
Nikita Gusev (29)
Vadim Shipachyov (34)
Evgenii Dadonov (32)
(All ages as of February 2022)
Extras: Kirill Kaprizov (24), Pavel Buchnevich (26)
Boasting some of the NHL's most dangerous scorers, the Russians shouldn't have any trouble finding the back of the net. The combination of world-class snipers like Ovechkin and Tarasenko, along with playmakers of Kucherov and Panarin's ilk, present a tall task for opposing defenses, especially with Malkin leading the charge up the middle.
However, that incredible firepower is somewhat mitigated by the nation's lack of depth at center, since Evgeny Kuznetsov received a four-year ban from the IIHF last August for testing positive for cocaine. Namestnikov is the next best option up the middle, while Barbashev is a unique talent who adds an element of grit to Russia's lineup. The 6-foot grinder - who played all three forward positions for the St. Louis Blues this season - is also an effective penalty killer.
Svechnikov could be bumped into the top six, but the four wingers above him aren't likely to regress over the next 19 months. The 6-foot-2 talent led all Carolina Hurricanes forwards in hits this season, and having him form a trio alongside Barbashev and Radulov would establish a pesky checking line with plenty of offensive upside.
Gusev, Shipachyov, and Dadonov spent multiple seasons together as teammates with the KHL's SKA St. Petersburg, with Gusev and Shipachyov ranking second and third in franchise scoring, respectively.
Despite Kaprizov's high potential, it's difficult to project how much the Minnesota Wild prospect will be able to boost his case for a roster spot ahead of the 2022 Olympics.
Just missed the cut: Artem Anisimov, Denis Gurianov, Ilya Mikheyev
Defense
picture alliance / picture alliance / Getty
LD
RD
Ivan Provorov (25)
Dmitry Orlov (30)
Mikhail Sergachev (23)
Nikita Zadorov (26)
Alexander Romanov (22)
Nikita Zaitsev (30)
Extra: Dmitry Kulikov (31)
Russia's defensive corps doesn't quite stack up against the other premier nations, and it's severely lacking on the right side. Since Zaitsev is the only right-shot option, two of the club's top four blue-liners will be forced to play on the opposite side.
That being said, Provorov and Sergachev are blossoming into elite-level defensemen. Additionally, the 6-foot-6 Zadorov is a tower of power, and Orlov's veteran presence on the blue line will be invaluable to the club.
Much like Kaprizov, it's difficult to project Romanov's trajectory with him yet to make his NHL debut. The Montreal Canadiens prospect has plenty of potential, though, and Russia's lack of options defensively should grant him the opportunity to make the squad.
Goalies
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G
Andrei Vasilevskiy (27)
Ilya Samsonov (25)
Extra: Sergei Bobrovsky (33)
Russia will have no shortage of options in net, and with the club lacking defensive depth, this decision will be key in its quest for gold.
Vasilevskiy is currently a no-brainer for the starting gig, although Samsonov turned heads with his strong rookie campaign for the Washington Capitals. Bobrovsky's forgettable debut season with the Florida Panthers is cause for concern, especially considering his age. If Samsonov continues on his current trajectory, Russia would be wise to seriously consider him as its starting netminder.
Then there are the wild cards. Igor Shesterkin was sensational during his 12-game stint with the New York Rangers this season, but the body of work isn't quite there yet. New York Islanders prospect Ilya Sorokin has yet to make his North American debut, but he and Shesterkin could both could develop into noteworthy NHL starters over the next 19 months. That would leave Russia with the welcome issue of having too much talent between the pipes.
While the recently ratified collective bargaining agreement will allow viewers to sink into a couch and watch five consecutive playoff games - a dream come true for hockey fans - in less than three weeks' time, some modifications are bound to create headaches for the league's general managers.
The most significant obstacle will be the league's salary cap, which will remain stagnant at $81.5 million. That number won't increase until hockey-related revenue reaches $4.8 billion, according to The Athletic's Scott Burnside.
With no guarantee on when fans will be able to attend games again, it's clear that GMs and front offices across the league will need to swiftly adjust their financial plans for the 2020-21 season and beyond.
Let's take a look some perennial playoff threats that stand to be among the most affected by the impending salary squeeze.
2020-21 roster size: 15 Projected total salary: $76.166 million
GM Julien BriseBois will almost certainly have to trade a player of significance to make Tampa Bay cap compliant next season. The Lightning have one of the NHL's most powerful rosters, but the downside to icing such a star-laden lineup is the hefty financial commitments. With goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy's $9.5-million average annual value extension kicking in next season, the Bolts will have over half their cap committed to five players: Vasilevskiy, Steven Stamkos ($8.5 million), Nikita Kucherov ($9.5 million), Brayden Point ($6.75 million), and Victor Hedman ($7.875 million).
Those commitments create a ripple effect throughout the roster. The Lightning need to sign two forwards and three defensemen with just over $5 million to work with. Making matters more complicated, budding two-way superstar Anthony Cirelli and dependable top-four blue-liner Mikhail Sergachev are both restricted free agents and due considerable raises from their league-minimum contracts.
The most logical candidate for BriseBois to offload is winger Alex Killorn ($4.45 million AAV until 2023), whose full no-trade clause is reduced to a 16-team list next season. Forwards Tyler Johnson, Yanni Gourde, and Ondrej Palat each make $5 million or more and could fetch decent value on the trade market, but they all own full no-move clauses.
St. Louis Blues
Scott Rovak / National Hockey League / Getty
2020-21 roster size: 20 Projected total salary: $79.452 million
The Blues have nearly an entire roster signed for next season, but they haven't locked up the biggest piece of the puzzle. Captain Alex Pietrangelo is an impending unrestricted free agent, and with barely $2 million in available space, the defending Stanley Cup champions will need to do some noteworthy maneuvering to avoid losing their defensive leader.
Pietrangelo, 30, is the top free agent in this year's class. After winning a championship and scoring a career-high 16 goals this past season, he's proven he's worthy of being paid among the league's top rearguards, easily in the range of $8.5 million-to-10 million. In addition to Pietrangelo's new deal, GM Doug Armstrong needs to award a new contract to RFA Vince Dunn, a quality young puck-mover poised to become more involved in the Blues' plans.
How can Armstrong make it work? He could buy out 36-year-old Alex Steen and his $5.75 million AAV, but as The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford notes, the total savings would only equate to about $2.4 million. Goaltender Jake Allen ($4.35 million) is a trade candidate since he makes too much for a backup, but it's unlikely another organization would want to foot the bill for a guy who's struggled to cement himself as a true No. 1 netminder.
Up front, Jaden Schwartz ($5.35 million), Tyler Bozak ($5 million), and David Perron ($4 million) are big-money options to be dealt, but each owns a modified no-trade clause, making an already difficult situation a little trickier.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / Getty
2020-21 roster size: 16 Projected total salary: $76.908 million
Like their Atlantic Division foes in Tampa Bay, the majority of the Maple Leafs' salary cap is allocated to a group of star players. Auston Matthews ($11.634 million AAV), John Tavares ($11 million), Mitch Marner ($10.893 million), and William Nylander ($6.96 million) occupy half of the entire pie in Toronto, making it difficult for GM Kyle Dubas to avoid eclipsing the league limit while filling out the rest of the roster.
The most important players Dubas will be tasked with re-signing are RFAs Ilya Mikheyev and Travis Dermott, whose new deals won't leave much wiggle room to replace likely departing UFAs Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci on the blue line. Dubas - as he's done throughout his Leafs tenure - could turn to cheap overseas talent in the form of defenseman Mikko Lehtonen. Rookie blue-liners Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren are inexpensive options, too.
One simple trade - moving one of Alexander Kerfoot ($3.5 million), Andreas Johnsson ($3.4 million), or Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2 million) - would likely give the Leafs enough breathing room to ice a competitive roster next season. However, the flat cap will truly start to complicate things for Toronto in 2021-22.
Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen ($5 million) will be a UFA next offseason, as will Zach Hyman ($2.5 million). Also, star defenseman Morgan Rielly ($5 million) will be eligible for an extension. Without a cap increase, Toronto will be stuck with some difficult decisions to make on a collection of players crucial to the team's success.
New York Islanders
Mike Stobe / National Hockey League / Getty
2020-21 roster size: 16 Projected total salary: $71.380 million
At first glance, the Islanders hardly seem to be in cap purgatory with just over $10 million in available space. But with RFAs Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock in need of new contracts, it's easy to foresee Lou Lamoriello quickly running out of cap room this offseason.
Barzal's and Pulock's deals alone are almost guaranteed to add up to over $10 million. Barzal is a 23-year-old dynamo who's on track to become New York's highest-paid player. Pulock - who led the Isles in average ice time and was their highest-producing defenseman this past season - is due for a major raise from his $2-million cap hit.
As such, the Islanders may be stuck having to let all their pending UFAs walk. That list of five players most notably includes Derick Brassard, Matt Martin, and backup goaltender Thomas Greiss. But even if Lamoriello doesn't re-sign any of New York's UFAs, he'll still likely be forced into a trade, with either Nick Leddy ($5.5 million) or Thomas Hickey ($2.5 million) being the most logical option to be shipped out.
"Due to the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 and after much consideration, I've decided for deeply personal family health reasons not to participate in the return to play," Green said in a statement.
"This has been a hard decision knowing I'm going to miss the opportunity to compete in the playoffs with a Stanley Cup contender. I wish the best of luck to the guys and I appreciate the Edmonton Oilers' support," he continued.
Green joins Calgary Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic and Vancouver Canucks forward Sven Baertschi on the list of players who've chosen not to play. Any player wishing to opt out can do so without facing any punishment so long as they inform their respective teams by Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
The Oilers acquired Green from the Detroit Red Wings before February's trade deadline. Due to his decision, Edmonton will give the Red Wings its 2020 fourth-round selection, according to The Athletic's Jonathan Willis. The pick could've been upgraded to a 2021 third-rounder based on Green's playoff performance.
Green, 34, is an impending unrestricted free agent. He notched 11 points in 50 games in 2019-20 but only appeared in two contests with the Oilers before suffering a knee injury.
The Oilers will battle the 12th-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in their play-in series.
All 24 teams participating in the NHL's return-to-play plan will not be permitted to disclose information regarding player injuries or illnesses, the league announced Saturday.
"Given the unique circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, effective with the start of Phase 3 (Monday, July 13) and, including the entirety of the Phase 4 Return to Play, the NHL and NHL Players' Association have mutually agreed that clubs are not permitted to disclose player injury and/or illness information. This policy was adopted out of respect for an individual player's right to medical privacy. The league will continue to announce, on a regular basis throughout Phase 3 and Phase 4, positive player test results for COVID-19 while not releasing individual player or team identities," reads the statement.
The NHL and NHLPA officially ratified a CBA extension and all necessary return-to play-safety protocols for the hub locations in Toronto and Edmonton on Friday. Coaches, players, and any other team members will be tested daily during Phase 4 (playoffs), according to the NHL.
During Phase 2, which permitted limited groups of skaters to participate in voluntary on- and off-ice workouts, 35 NHLers returned positive tests.
Teams are scheduled to report to their respective hub destinations July 26, with qualifying-round games slated to begin Aug. 1.
"Sven informed us late yesterday that he has chosen to opt out of the NHL return-to-play program," Benning said. "It was a difficult decision but ultimately one we respect and understand."
The Canucks added 21-year-old winger Kole Lind to their return-to-play roster in place of Baertschi.
Baertschi is the second player to opt out of the restart after Calgary Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic withdrew late Friday night. Those who wish to opt out are permitted to do so without punishment if they inform their team by Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
The 27-year-old winger spent the majority of the campaign with the AHL's Utica Comets, tallying 13 goals and 46 points in 43 games. In six games with Vancouver, Baerstchi contributed two assists.
The Canucks will take on the Minnesota Wild in their best-of-five qualifying series. NHL training camps are set to open July 13 with games scheduled to get underway Aug. 1.
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos won't be a full participant when the club's training camp opens Monday after he sustained a lower-body injury during Phase 2 of the league's return-to-play protocol, general manager Julien Brisbois said Saturday, according to team writer Bryan Burns.
There is no specific timeline for Stamkos' full return to training camp, but he's expected to be ready when the team takes the ice against the Washington Capitals on Aug. 3, Brisbois said.
Stamkos underwent core-muscle surgery in February and was expected to miss the remainder of the regular season before the league suspended play on March 12. The 30-year-old forward tallied 29 goals and 66 points through 57 games this season.
The Lightning are slated to compete in a round-robin tournament with the Capitals, Boston Bruins, and Philadelphia Flyers to establish the Eastern Conference's top four seeds for the 16-team playoff bracket.
