TORONTO — Auston Matthews told reporters on Monday that he tested positive for the COVID-19 virus last month, but was feeling fully healthy ahead of the Maple Leafs’ opening their return to play training camp on Monday.
“I was pretty much asymptomatic, felt for the most pretty normal for two weeks [of isolating],” Matthews said on a Zoom call at Ford Performance Centre. “I did my quarantine and I’m healthy now, so it’s all good.”
Matthews was in his home state of Arizona at the time of his diagnosis and had to put the breaks on preparations for the NHL’s prospective return. The positive test prevented Matthews from returning to Canada to participate in the entirety of Phase 2’s voluntary workouts, but he didn’t feel like he’d fall too far behind.
“[The virus] didn’t really hinder my training, I was able to do stuff at home,” Matthews said. “Obviously wasn’t able to leave or anything. I think that’s really the only thing that kind of took a hit for me. I was skating beforehand and having to take two and a half, three weeks off obviously kind of catches up to you.”
Arizona has developed into a hot spot for COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, already topping more than 40,000 infections in July alone. Matthews can’t say for sure how he contracted the virus though, and wouldn’t suggest his symptoms were reflective of everyone’s experience after contracting it.
“To be honest I can’t really pinpoint when and where I got it,” he said. “I think everybody’s experience will probably be different than my own as far as COVID goes, with [various] symptoms and stuff like that. And sometimes it’s hard to kind of pinpoint a norm because it’s different for everybody.”
Upon hearing that Matthews was dealing with the virus, Leafs’ captain John Tavares said his first concern was for Matthews’ overall health, and that he’d make a full recovery.
“I think you just want to make sure he’s good, first and foremost,” Tavares said. “You think about him as a person and see how he’s doing. You see now what [COVID-19] can do to a lot of people. Obviously he’s in great physical condition, good health, so I’m just checking in seeing how he’s doing and wanting to make sure he was okay and feeling good and then get back to what he loves to do. He’s doing great and it’s obviously great that he’s been ready to go for the first day of camp.”
Mitch Marner also checked in with Matthews during his quarantine, knowing that COVID-19 is “no joke.”
“[Matthews] didn’t really feel anything [symptoms-wise], so I was super happy to hear that,” Marner said. “[You] can’t take it lightly so I was happy to hear that he was not really feeling any of the symptoms. And it’s great to have him back out there, he’s a big part of this team and he does a lot for our team so it’s great to see him back out there in full form.”
With his own virus experience in the rear view mirror, Matthews can appreciate the NHL’s extensive health and safety protocols that aim to keep players safe in Phase 3 for a successful transition to the league’s 24-team restart in Phase 4 this August.
“I think the NHL and everybody involved has tried their best with the information that they have to make it as safe an environment as possible for everybody working there,” Matthews said. “And hopefully, [getting to the point of] being able to try to compete in this tournament.”
