The Toronto Maple Leafs got a positive update on an injured defenceman, as Brandon Carlo skated in a side session before practice on Saturday, according to David Alter of The Hockey News.
Carlo has been on the shelf since the beginning of December, when head coach Craig Berube told reporters that he had suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury.
That injury occurred earlier in the season, when Carlo last appeared in a game on Nov. 13 against the Los Angeles Kings. He was originally considered day-to-day with the injury before eventually being placed on injured reserve retroactive to that date.
He has two assists in 18 games so far this season, his first full year as a member of the Maple Leafs. Carlo came over in a deal with the Boston Bruins at last season’s trade deadline in exchange for a first-rounder, a fourth-rounder and prospect Fraser Minten.
Toronto returns to action out of the holiday break with another edition of the Battle of Ontario, as the Maple Leafs are set to host the Ottawa Senators. The Maple Leafs won their last game on Dec. 23 against the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 6-3, but had lost five of six contests leading into that game.
Entering Saturday’s action, the Leafs are 16-15-5 and stuck at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings.