Leafs’ Matthews eyes Wednesday return following knee sprain

The Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews is aiming to return to the lineup when his team hosts the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a sprained knee in warm-ups Jan. 25.

Matthews, who won last season’s Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and put up the league’s first 60-goal season in a decade, initially played through the injury, but got it checked out by Toronto’s medical staff post-game.

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Toronto are second in the Atlantic Division, two points up on the Tampa Bay Lightning and 11 back of the NHL-topping Boston Bruins.

“See how everything responds (Wednesday) morning and see how I’m feeling,” Matthews told reporters. “For myself, just trying to get into the mindset in anticipation of playing and go from there.”

Matthews has 25 goals and 53 points in 47 games this season.