Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Craig Berube and William Nylander gave differing opinions on the status of Oliver Ekman-Larsson after he left the game in the third period on Saturday night.
In what could be considered a stunning turnaround, the Toronto Maple Leafs came into Pittsburgh and played their best game of the year. A complete effort from all involved, Toronto came away with a 7-2 win.
It wasn’t all great though, as Toronto did lose defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson with less than ten minutes to go in the third period with what the team has described as an upper-body injury.
It didn’t stop Toronto on Saturday but it would be a huge blow to the offense as Ekman-Larsson has been as reliable and steady as can be so far this year with 20 points through 25 games.
What Craig Berube actually said about Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s status
It doesn’t seem too serious at first glance, and head coach Craig Berube is optimistic that it was just a little discomfort that held him out.
After Saturday’s win against Pittsburgh, Berube spoke to reporters about Ekman-Larsson’s status but sounded way more optimistic than he has been, though stopped short of saying OEL was going to be alright.
I’m hoping he’s fine. I don’t know yet, but we’ll evaluate him tomorrow. I think he’ll be okay, but we’ll see.
There’s always a bit of extra work involved when it comes to making sure a player is fully healthy, and with their next game on Tuesday, it gives Ekman-Larsson a couple of days to heal up whatever is bothering him.
Why Nylander’s reaction will calm Leafs fans more than the official update
Though, there may be room for more optimism as Leafs forward William Nylander told reporters after the game that Ekman-Larsson assured him that it wasn’t serious.
Nylander was short and sweet with his post-game comments:
Nylander relaying that Ekman-Larsson told him he was fine will reassure some fans, even if it’s just a quick post-game comment rather than an official medical update.
While it’s still not officially known what happened to Ekman-Larsson, and the team has yet to provide a detailed update, Nylander’s comment suggests that, inside the room, there isn’t major concern right now regarding a serious injury.
OEL has been remarkably durable over the past three seasons, only missing seven games the past two seasons, and hadn’t missed a game yet this year.
He’s also been one of Toronto’s best players overall and arguably their top defenseman over the past few weeks. He has a nine-game point streak and will tie Tom Kurvers’ franchise record with another point in his next game.
Until the Leafs issue a formal update, Nylander’s quote is simply another encouraging sign rather than a guarantee about Ekman-Larsson’s health.
Toronto can’t afford to have it go any other way right now, especially when they just put in their best effort of the entire season.
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Craig Berube and William Nylander sounded very different after Oliver Ekman-Larsson left the game
Do you think Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s injury is serious?