Leafs’ Auston Matthews won’t play for U.S. at worlds

Tim and Sid look at the Maple Leafs’ Game 7 loss to the Bruins and try to find where the blame should lie- and it’s not entirely with Jake Gardiner.

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews won’t head to Denmark to compete in the IIHF World Championship next month.

The American-born centre wants to rest and recuperate, he told reporters on Friday as the Leafs cleared out their lockers at the Air Canada Centre.

Matthews scored 34 goals and 63 points in 62 regular-season games, before struggling in the playoffs. The 20-year-old tallied just one goal and assist as Toronto fell in seven games to the Boston Bruins in the first-round matchup.

On Friday Matthews said he would like to have more ice time with with teammate Mitch Marner in the future and denied speculation that a rift existed between him and head coach Mike Babcock.

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