Joe Thornton has brought the entertainment on the Toronto Maple Leafs' mentors trip. Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews brought the 45-year-old along on the trip. The two have grown close since Thornton played for the Maple Leafs in the 2020-21 season.

As captain, Matthews hopes to emulate Thornton's leadership qualities, led by his focus on inclusivity and bringing everyone together.

For the second time this season, Toronto Maple Leafs superstar forward Auston Matthews is missing time due to an upper-body injury. The Maple Leafs missed their

Auston Matthews explained why he brought San Jose Sharks legend Joe Thornton on the Toronto Maple Leafs Mentor trip.

Still without a timeline for return, Matthews spoke with media for the first time since he last played on Dec. 20.

Matthews, who is Maple Leafs captain, did not participate in a full morning skate prior to the game against the Sabres on Dec. 20 but scored and played 19:18. He took two hard hits in the game, one from Sabres forward Tage Thompson in the first period and a cross-check from defenseman Dennis Gilbert in the third period, though he finished the game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs found a perfect match with Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews on a line. It's allowed Knies to excel in his role and provide a lot more offense.

Matthew Knies scored the go-ahead goal in the third period as the Toronto Maple Leafs skated to a 3-2 victory over the host Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.