Auston Matthews targets Leafs' Oct. 13 opener for return from wrist surgery

Only four weeks in to a “minimum” six-week recovery period following impromptu wrist surgery, Auston Matthews is hopeful that he will be at full strength to begin the regular season. The Toronto Maple Leafs star tells NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger that his rehab is “coming along well”, although there are still several major steps to go. Still in a splint, Matthews remains at least a couple of weeks from moving beyond that stage of his recovery to actually testing his wrist and building his strength back up. Matthews claims that the injury, which plagued him for much of last season, is not serious, but he is happy that he decided to address it this summer after the pain had returned during his early offseason workouts. Hopefully an elective surgery for a “not serious” injury doesn’t affect the start of Matthews’ season, but as of right now he does not believe that will be the case. Matthews tells Zeisberger that he plans to resume skating this week and then take his wrist rehab “day by day” as the season approaches. The Leafs open training camp and begin preseason play within Matthews’ minimum recovery window, so that is surely to affect his preparation for the season, but if the reigning Rocket Richard winner is at least healthy by Toronto’s Oct. 13 opener with no more lingering wrist discomfort, then the surprise surgery will have been the right choice on all accounts.

• The Edmonton Oilers are not expecting to get a look at top prospect Dylan Holloway in their upcoming rookie camp as the talented forward is still working his way back from a broken thumb. Holloway suffered the injury at the end of the collegiate regular season but continued on with the University of Wisconsin having qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers lasted only two games, but those games still delayed Holloway’s surgery into April. This was expected to still be enough time for him to be fully healed by now, but instead Holloway is still being bothered, reports The Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson. Holloway had X-rays done last week and is awaiting an evaluation from the Oilers’ medical staff, but is unlikely to be cleared for rookie camp. Instead, he will hope to be healed in time for NHL camp in two weeks. Holloway’s thumb injury cost him a chance to finish out last season with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and gain some pro experience, so the skilled forward might be looking at a slow start to the season in the minors anyhow before getting a look in Edmonton.
• Even though it might seem obvious by now considering that he has not played in two years and now is working as a volunteer coach, Ryan Kesler is officially acknowledging that he does not expect to play in the NHL again. The veteran forward spoke with NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman and stated that he does not see his body getting back into playing condition again. “And to be honest, I’m still a far way away to even coming close,” Kesler said. Suffering through injuries to both hips, Kesler was slowed even before being sidelined. He tells Kimelman that he lost his drive and love for the game for some time as he dealt with constant pain and lacking results and he tried to keep playing. Now, with one year remaining on his contract with the Anaheim Ducks, Kesler continues to rehab and work toward getting back into a place with which he is happy but he acknowledges that he cannot be an NHL player again, nevertheless live up to his own reputation. Hopefully Kesler can get to a point that he is at least comfortable skating and can continue to be on the ice as a coach.