The Toronto Maple Leafs lost a tough game to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, 3-2. The loss was bad enough. The Leafs blew a 2-1 lead in the dying minutes of the third period. Then, lost the game in overtime on a mildly controversial goal.
But what made matters worse for the Maple Leafs was the loss of top blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Ekman-Larsson got tied up with the Sharks’ Adam Gaudette behind his own net, with the Sharks’ forward falling on Ekman-Larsson’s left ankle.
Ekman-Larsson lay on the ice, tried to skate to the bench, but did not put any weight on his leg. He needed assistance to get off the ice. He did not return after sustaining the injury early in the third period.
The injury looked pretty gruesome on the ice, but there’s hope it won’t be nearly as bad. Renowned medical expert Dr. Harjas Grewal weighed in on the matter. His prognosis for the Maple Leafs blueliner sounds encouraging, though there could be some serious consequences:
So, it sounds like a bum ankle. According to Grewal’s medical opinion, it doesn’t seem like a fracture or serious strain. The general prognosis is four to six weeks, though the injury might not be that serious.
There’s also the potential for a knee ligament injury. Again, that does not appear to be the case. So, hopefully, the Maple Leafs won’t be without Ekman-Larsson for an extended period.
Maple Leafs Coach Gives Mildly Encouraging Update
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube provided a mildly encouraging update on Friday. According to Sportsnet, the Maple Leafs coach provided the following comments when asked about Ekman-Larsson’s status:
“Not bad. I think tomorrow we’ll know. Hopefully, he can get on the ice and see how it feels. That’s what we’re hoping.”
The comments allude to the possibility of Ekman-Larsson playing on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers. However, it’s likely that Ekman-Larsson won’t suit up for the Maple Leafs. The team listed Ekman-Larsson as day-to-day. So, that could be an indication that the injury isn’t quite as serious.
Toronto Has Battered Blue Line
Ekman-Larsson is the latest Maple Leafs blueliner to go down with an injury this season. At the moment, four Toronto defensemen are out with injuries. Chris Tanev is currently on LTIR, following a concussion on November 1.
Meanwhile, Brandon Carlo has been out for the last couple of weeks, with Dakota Mermis being the latest to join him this week. The other Toronto blueliner on LTIR is Marshall Rifai. He sustained a wrist injury during the preseason.
All told, the Maple Leafs’ injury situation has not gotten easier. Waiver pickup Troy Stecher has been a solid addition. Henry Thrun joined the Leafs on Thursday night against his former team. Given the current injury status, Thrun should see more action. Also, Philippe Myers will likely draw some more playing time.
The Maple Leafs have had unusually tough injury luck this season. The club hopes that the injury bug will take some time off when the calendar turns the 2026.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Maple Leafs Best D-Man Could Be Out a While: Medical Expert appeared first on Heavy Sports.