TORONTO -- Auston Matthews will not play for the Maple Leafs in either of their next two games, beginning against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SNO, TVAS).

The Toronto Maple Leafs likely will be without captain Auston Matthews for at least the next two games as the star center continues to nurse an upper-body injury. Matthews, 27, has missed Toronto's past two games and sat out Friday's contest at Detroit and likely will do the same for Saturday's home showdown against Washington.

Matthews's outlook has been up in the air since he re-aggravated an upper-body injury during a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 20. Head coach Craig Berube later revealed that the 27-year-old sharpshooter would be sidelined until after the holidays, leaving optimists hoping for a return as early as Friday.

Alex Ovechkin could return to the Washington Capitals lineup when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first game back from the NHL’s Christmas break

Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin is on track to make an expedited return to the ice after suffering a fractured fibula in mid-November. Although a final decision is not expected to be made until Saturday,

Capitals star Alex Ovechkin was a full participant in practice Friday and could return to the lineup Saturday night against the Maple Leafs after missing five weeks with a broken left leg.