HockeyPatrol has uncovered a new detail in Auston Matthews’ offseason preparation, with the Maple Leafs captain working this summer with Arizona-based sports chiropractor Shawn Robek.
A new Instagram post confirms the collaboration. Robek, posing alongside the Olympic gold medalist, revealed the information on his own social media account and praised Matthews’ approach. “One of the best parts of surviving the 115-degree Scottsdale heat is getting to work with this guy during the summer,” Robek wrote. “Auston always brings a smile, works hard, and is an absolute pleasure to have in the office.”
Shawn Robek is an accomplished sports chiropractor, rehabilitation specialist and founder of Fix Medical Group. His Scottsdale practice provides chiropractic and sports-medicine treatment to professional athletes, including NHL players. Neither Robek nor Matthews disclosed the specific type of treatment. The tone of Robek’s post suggests the two have worked together before. There is no confirmation that Matthews is dealing with a back problem or any other particular issue.
Matthews typically spends his summers in his home state of Arizona, so the choice of Robek is convenient rather than a special trip for care. What stands out is the timing. Matthews is continuing specialized physical work during an offseason in which his health ranks among Toronto’s biggest variables heading into 2026-27.
The Maple Leafs never fully revealed what was bothering Matthews. During the 2024-25 season he was not himself from the outset. His production declined sharply from the 69-goal campaign of 2023-24, and there were persistent rumblings of a lingering issue. That problem was publicly described only as an upper-body injury. His 2025-26 season later ended because of a separate knee injury suffered in March. There is no public evidence linking the knee injury to earlier treatment or to the current work with Robek.
Robek’s post therefore adds one concrete piece to the offseason picture: Toronto’s captain is still engaged in specialized preparation in Arizona. It does not reveal the nature of the treatment or whether it relates to the undisclosed upper-body issue that affected him two seasons ago.
For the Maple Leafs, the real significance will arrive at training camp. That is when Matthews’ movement, workload and availability will provide the first meaningful evidence of how healthy he is entering the new season. Until then, the organization faces a surprisingly consequential decision about how heavily to lean on its captain, how to structure his early-season role, and how to manage expectations around a player whose durability has become one of the franchise’s central uncertainties. The specialized work in Scottsdale keeps the conversation alive; camp will decide how it ends.