By Canadian Press

Leafs star Auston Matthews confirms he tested positive for COVID-19

Jul 13, 2020 | 10:53 AM

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews has confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19 last month.

Matthews told reporters about the positive test as the Maple Leafs opened their training camp Monday, adding he was mostly asymptomatic.

“I mean, obviously didn’t really enter my training. I was able to do stuff at home, obviously wasn’t able to leave or skate or anything,” Matthews said.

“That’s really the only thing that took a hit for me. I was skating beforehand, and having to take 2 1/2, three weeks off the ice catches up to you, but pretty much asymptomatic, felt for the most part pretty normal for the two weeks. I did my quarantine and I’m feeling healthy now, so it’s all good.”

The Toronto Sun first reported on June 19 that Matthews contracted the virus while at home in Scottsdale, Ariz., and was in quarantine to get healthy before the start of training camp.

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The Maple Leafs declined to confirm the report at the time, citing the privacy of players’ medical records.

Arizona is among the U.S. states that has seen a recent spike in positive tests for the novel coronavirus.

“It was not a hotspot for like two months,” Matthews said. “It was like the safest place to be and then obviously things flipped pretty quickly there. I don’t really find it too different than it is here. Lots of stuff, for the most part, closed other than outside seating and essential services and stuff like that.”

Matthews participated in Monday’s practice.

The Maple Leafs are set to open a best-of-five playoff qualification series with Columbus on Aug. 2 in Toronto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press