Not only did the Toronto Maple Leafs drop a disappointing 3-2 final score in overtime at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday evening, but they also experienced numerous injuries during the game to add to their already crowded injury list.
The Maple Leafs, who are back on home ice on Tuesday evening against the visiting New Jersey Devils and former head coach Sheldon Keefe, are considerably shorthanded.
Auston Matthews and Dakota Joshua are unavailable because of injuries they suffered on Sunday evening. Matthews was hurt when he blocked a shot near the end of the second period, while Joshua is dealing with what head coach Craig Berube referred to as a kidney injury.
Additionally, defenseman Chris Tanev, who recently returned from a lengthy stint on Long Term Injured Reserve, is right back on the shelf with what the club has categorized as a lower-body injury, while William Nylander is unable to play for the second straight game.
Needless to say, the Maple Leafs are a classic example of the walking wounded right now.
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TSN’s Chris Johnston Detailed Several Toronto Maple Leafs Injury Concerns
On Tuesday, TSN NHL Insider Chris Johnston joined the “That’s Hockey” segment to detail some of the injury concerns that are facing the Maple Leafs, and he began by talking about the kidney ailment suffered by Joshua.
“Yeah, both of these situations for different reasons are of concern for the Leafs,” he said. “First of all, Dakota Joshua’s health. He had to stay behind in Detroit after suffering what Craig Berube called a kidney injury in their game earlier this week, and the potential nature of that, of course. All the best and hope to him.”
Johnston then detailed his belief that the latest ailment suffered by Tanev, one of Toronto’s most important defensemen who has already missed significant time this season, is a “big blow” to the team.
“From the hockey standpoint, I think the Chris Tanev injury is the most significant for Toronto, and unfortunately, it continues a trend that the Leafs has dealt with all year,” he said. “This is his third separate absence from the lineup this season; he’s played just 11 total games for the Leafs….the feeling with Tanev is that this could something that sidelines him for a period of time. The Leafs are still getting more information from doctors as to the severity of the lower-body that he’s dealing with.”
“The good news, I suppose, is that it’s not related to the previous injury in the head and neck injury that kept him out for a long period of time, but to lost a player this important for potentially a long absence is a big blow for a team trying to climb its way back into the playoffs,” he continued.
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William Nylander Could Be Back On The Ice Soon For The Maple Leafs
Johnston concluded his report with a bit of good news, saying that while Nylander is missing his second straight game, he’s not expected to be out of the lineup for much longer.
“It sounds like Nylander will be back relatively shortly, I think there’s hope that he’ll be able to play sometime later this week, so I suppose it’s a little bit of a positive,” Johnston said. “As for Matthews, he blocked a shot during that game against the Red Wings, left for a period of time and was able to come back in the third period and grit through it. He’ll do everything he can to stay in the Leafs lineup just given where they’re at.”
While Johnston clarified that Matthews would be considered a game-time decision for the Maple Leafs on Tuesday against the Devils, he ultimately wasn’t able to play.
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