‘Yotes Notes: Auston Matthews, Coyotes to meet for first time

The Coyotes will meet the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto on Thursday, marking the first game Scottsdale product and Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews will face the team for which he grew up rooting.

“It’s going to be pretty cool to play in a game against Shane Doan, a guy I grew up watching,” Matthews told The Athletic Toronto. “Just getting to know him over the last couple of years, it’s pretty incredible the type of guy he is.”

Matthews leads the team in points (22) and goals 13. He ranks second in both categories among rookies to Winnipeg forward Patrik Laine, who has 17 goals and 25 points

The game will also mark the return of former Leafs forward Peter Holland, whom Toronto traded to Arizona last week for a conditional sixth-round pick.

DOMI PROBABLY BACK IN ‘A MONTH OR TWO’

Coyotes general manager John Chayka was a guest on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday morning and updated left wing Max Domi’s timetable for return after successful surgery on his hand.

“He’s going through that rehab process where it’s just too early to know for sure how long it will take (to heal), but we don’t expect it to be the whole season, that’s for sure,” Chayka told Doug & Wolf. “It’s probably a matter of a month or two.”

Domi was injured during a fight with Calgary’s Garnet Hathaway on Dec. 8. While Chayka said he’d prefer Domi not fight, he reiterated a stance coach Dave Tippett took after that game.

“What we love about Max is that he’s a passionate guy and he’s an emotional player, both good and bad. He’ll take some penalties or get into fights like that, but at the same time he is who he is and that’s what makes him special,” Chayka said. “At that point in time, we were mired in a kind of a losing streak. He didn’t feel like the game was going his way or the team’s way. You can’t be on players when they’re kind of accepting of losing ways [then] be critical of them when they try and do something to change it.

“Certainly, I hope he keeps his gloves on moving forward but that’s just a part of who he is.”

LOOSE PUCKS

— Holland had two assists in his Coyotes debut Tuesday in Detroit, marking his first multi-point game since Feb. 23 of last season with Toronto. “It felt good to help out offensively, and just get back in and play a role,” Holland said.

— Mike Smith remains in the NHL’s top 10 for save percentage (.929) despite facing an average of about 37 shots per game.

— Defenseman Anthony DeAngelo’s 0.57 points per game rank 11th among NHL rookies.

— Defenseman Connor Murphy was expected to join the team in Toronto on Wednesday. Murphy missed his second straight game because of an upper-body injury against Detroit.

— The NHL’s annual holiday roster freeze begin at midnight Eastern time on Dec. 19, expiring at midnight ET on Dec. 27.

Coyotes at Maple Leafs

When: 5:30 p.m., Thursday
Where: Gila River Arena, Glendale
TV: FOX Sports Arizona Plus
Radio: KTAR News 92.3 FM
Records: Coyotes 10-14-5. Maple Leafs 11-11-6.

Injury report: Coyotes — C Brad Richardson (broken right tibia and fibula) and LW Max Domi (hand) are out indefinitely. D Connor Murphy (upper body) is day to day. Maple Leafs — F Joffrey Lupul (abdomen) is out long term. F Martin Marincin (lower body) is out.

Scouting the Leafs: Toronto is 3-43 in its last 10 games to drop into a tie for last in the Western Conference with Buffalo at 28 points. … F Zach Hyman will play despite missing practice tomorrow after blocking a shot against San Jose on Tuesday. … In the last 10 games between these clubs, the Maple Leafs are 2-7-1.

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