The Olympics may be the finish line for some players, and the Leafs could feel it after the break
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According to Elliotte Friedman, these Olympics could be the tipping point for some players and for the Maple Leafs they need to be careful with their top stars.
With the Maple Leafs having a bit of a break in the NHL schedule thanks to the Winter Olympics, it’s going to be time for them to rest up and make sure that they are as healthy as can be for a playoff push once things go back to normal.
It’s a league-wide issue though as teams are all dealing with injuries, and though there’s a break in the action, a lot of NHL representation in the Olympics can lead to some unforeseen issues.
Olympics may be the end of the line for some players this season
For Elliotte Friedman, he believes that it could be the breaking point for some players.
I’m beginning to think this is true…I’m wondering if there’s guys holding on by a thread to get there, and then we find out after the Olympics…they’re getting shut down; I hear there’s a couple cases out there like that potentially.
While he doesn’t point out any specific players, there are some who have been dealing with some pretty hefty issues but are playing through for the Olympics.
Toronto needs to be careful with their own Olympic representation
For the Maple Leafs, while there is no one really hurt right now with their trio of representatives, they have all dealt with injury issues this season and Toronto has to be careful in case things go wrong.
Ekman-Larsson has been fairly durable but has issues in the past and with his age not doing him any favours, there’s always a risk.
But it could be a benefit for the Maple Leafs if they are trying to push for a playoff spot as certain teams may be focused on keeping players healthy, which would open the door for Toronto to earn some much needed points (provided they stay healthy too).
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The Olympics may be the finish line for some players, and the Leafs could feel it after the break
Do the Maple Leafs need to rest their Olympic players more when the NHL resumes?