Matthews, Marner excused from Leafs’ practice due to workload, Holmberg will return vs. Kings

Following a 6-5 loss to the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs star forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner were both excused from practice, due to their heavy workload.

Matthews and Marner both logged over 25 minutes in Thursday’s game, as the Maple Leafs sent the contest to a shootout, before faltering against the last-ranked Sharks. Both players were used in all situations, and the Maple Leafs are likely trying to manage their minutes during the stretch run, with 10 games remaining in the regular season. Matthew Knies was a regular participant in Friday’s session.

Maple Leafs assistant coach Lane Lambert ran Friday’s practice, instead of Craig Berube. It’s unclear at the time of this filing why Berube took the day off, but it could be for maintenance reasons as well.

Matthews has recorded 28 goals and 66 points in 57 games this season. He’s been fighting through a lingering upper-body injury, which held him out of 15 games this season, but he appears to be rounding into top form as the playoffs are on the horizon.

Marner has recorded 22 goals and 89 points in 71 games, ranking sixth in NHL scoring. He’s operated as Toronto’s most valuable player this season, while playing in the final year of his existing contract.

Knies-Matthews-Marner are Toronto’s most-commonly used unit at 5-on-5 by far, and it doesn’t appear that Berube has any intention of breaking this line up before the playoffs, while Bobby McMann, John Tavares and William Nylander seem to be forming an iron-clad second line.

Pontus Holmberg will re-enter the lineup after missing the past two games as a healthy scratch, Berube confirmed via Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. Holmberg has recorded six goals and 15 points in 58 games this season, playing throughout the lineup in different roles. Berube wouldn’t confirm which player Holmberg would replace, but it appears that he’ll likely be placed on the fourth line during Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

Berube also did not confirm who will start in goal Saturday. Joseph Woll submitted a poor performance during Thursday’s loss to the Sharks and Berube did not exempt him from criticism. Woll and Stolarz are each expected to get a start during the back-to-back, as the Maple Leafs face the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.