Auston Matthews saw both sides when he spoke for the first time about his two-game suspension for cross-checking in Sunday’s Heritage Classic.
The Maple Leafs center thought the sentence handed out by the NHL’s department of player safety was “a bit much,” but added that his exchange with Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin warranted some kind of discipline.
“I was a little bit disappointed, a bit more than I was expecting,” Matthews said at Friday’s practice, ahead of Saturday night’s road game against the Nashville Predators.
“I think as a player I’ve got to be in control of my stick… My attempt was never to touch the guy up high, but I did. I made a mistake, and I recognize there’s got to be some kind of punishment. I just thought two games was kind of a lot.”
Matthews and his teammates played it safe on the underlying question of why the all-star center, one of the NHL’s best players with zero history of league discipline, got two games while some repeat offenders — such as Washington’s Tom Wilson, only fined for a punch to the head last May — get away without a suspension.
“It was my first (hearing with the department of player safety) and I don’t know what else to really say about the whole experience,” Matthews said. “Obviously, I saw it a certain way and they saw it differently, so it is what it is… It’s great to be back. Obviously a long week, but looking forward to playing (Saturday).”
Matthews ranks among the league leaders in puck possession but has drawn only six penalties this season, 34 fewer than Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid.
“I go out and play hockey and what happens, happens,” Matthews said about the lack of penalty calls when he’s on the ice. “That stuff is out of my control… so I don’t spend too much time dwelling on that.”
Teammates were also cautious on the subject.
“Uh, I don’t know. I mean, he has the puck all the time and people are all over him, but I guess that’s up to the refs,” linemate Michael Bunting said.
Despite missing the last two games and five overall this season, Matthews remains atop the Rocket Richard Trophy race for five goals heading into the weekend, with 45. The 24-year-old center expects a little rust in Nashville — but only a little.
“I think it will take me a little bit. I mean, it’s tough. You’re playing every other night, then you sit for almost a week,” he said.
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