Photo credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
In a very good sign for the Maple Leafs, five injured players ended up taking the ice and one of their players is a genuine surprise to see back so soon.
And because the Leafs rarely reveal much about timelines, updates like today’s matter even more.
What today’s early skate actually tells us about the Leafs’ recovery timeline
But today finally brought some encouraging news, as five injured players surprisingly returned to the ice.
The updates come courtesy of both Nick Barden of The Hockey News as well as Terry Koshan of The Toronto Sun:
There was also video footage of Tanev and Rifai practicing well ahead of the rest of the team which is a huge step forward. Tanev remains out with a long‑term injury despite skating, so his return is not close, meanwhile Rifai is recovering from wrist surgery and has been out since the beginning of the year.
– Tanev was injured against Philadelphia on Nov 1 after a blindside hit by Matvei -Michkov.
– Auston Matthews was injured Nov 11. against Boston after being shoved into the boards by Nikita Zadorov.
– Nic Roy was injured after the 3-2 loss against Chicago although Toronto has not disclosed any specifics.
– Matthew Knies was also injured and did not play against St. Louis or Columbus being a late scratch, then being day-to-day and much like Roy, it’s not nailed down as to what exactly is ailing him.
– Rifai is the least known of the bunch but he’s had some NHL experience, and very well could have been a depth piece for the team in the vein of Dakota Mermis or Philippe Myers had he not been hurt. He underwent surgery before the season.
How five injured Leafs on the ice changes the lineup picture for the week ahead
There’s no real timeline as to when anyone is going to return, and we still don’t have any news on Brandon Carlo or Anthony Stolarz as of yet.
We know that Tanev is not coming back anytime soon, same with Rifai. Matthews has been skating regularly, which suggests progress, but the team has not committed to a return date; same with Knies and his sudden scratch — but appearances on the ice are an indicator he could be back first.
What matters right now is no matter when they return, the fact that five of Toronto’s players took the ice in any regard is a big step forward towards fielding the team they want and making a serious push again.
We could see Knies back Wednesday against Columbus, but that is not confirmed and is purely based off the timing of his injury and shorter timeline.
Either way, seeing five injured Leafs back on the ice is the first real sign of momentum the team has had in weeks.
Previously on Hockey Patrol