The Toronto Maple Leafs are dealing with another hit on the blue line, and this one comes with an uneasy reminder of how quickly the depth can thin out. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was absent from Monday’s practice, adding to the sense that the team’s defense corps is already under strain.
Chris Tanev is already out of the lineup after the Maple Leafs placed him on IR, and the club responded by bringing in Marshall Rifai as insurance. Tanev will miss at least the next three games, a frustrating start for a player who arrived with high expectations after injuries limited him to just 11 games last year.
Ekman-Larsson’s situation only adds to the concern. He has already left two separate games because of injury, and while Monday’s absence was described as a maintenance day, that doesn’t make it feel any less significant for a Toronto defense group that has plenty of questions attached to it.
The bigger issue is that this is an older unit, one that has dealt with injuries over the last two seasons and now has to manage the wear and tear that comes with time. Maintenance days tend to tell their own story, especially when a player has already been forced out of multiple games.
Toronto does have some options to ease the burden. Marshall Rifai is in the mix because of Tanev’s absence, and Nick Blankenburg is another name who can step in. After what he showed on Saturday, he has earned another look, at least in a supporting role.
Ekman-Larsson wanted to play against Colorado, but he also knew he was not at 100%. Pushing through now could lead to something worse later, and that’s the line Toronto has to walk with him.
The safest path for the Maple Leafs is clear: protect Ekman-Larsson, manage his workload, and avoid leaning on him too hard. They’ve already gotten two strong seasons from the veteran, and if they want that to keep going, they may need to be far more careful with how often they ask him to carry the load.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Suddenly Face A Blue Line Problem Without Chris Tanev
The Maple Leafs have had to reshuffle their blue line after veteran defenseman T.J. Tanev left Saturday nights win over the Avalanche in the first period with an upper-body injury. Toronto has since placed him on injured reserve, a development that forces the team to lean on its depth a little earlier than planned and puts added pressure on a defense group that has already been working through adjustments under coach Jim Hiller.
Marshall Rifai was recalled from the Marlies to give the Maple Leafs another option on the back end, while Nick Blankenburg has been asked to take on a bigger role in Tanevs absence. For a team that values stability on defense, the mix-and-match look is not ideal, and it leaves Toronto waiting to see how quickly it can settle its pairings once Tanev is available again. [Read more 🡒]
Auston Matthews May Be Unlocking Something New Under Jim Hiller
Auston Matthews has wasted little time giving the Maple Leafs a reason to look twice at what has changed around him. In a short run under Jim Hiller, Matthews has already produced two four-point games, a burst that stands out next to the more limited high-end scoring he had across two seasons under Craig Berube. The sample is tiny, but it is hard not to notice the difference when one of the leagues most dangerous finishers starts flashing that kind of ceiling again.
The explanation may not be simple, and it probably is not just about Matthews suddenly seeing the ice differently. Coaching style, ice time, linemates and power-play usage all come into the conversation here, because those are the details that can either feed a scorer or starve him of chances. The Leafs are still early in this evaluation, but if Hiller is opening up new offensive lanes for Matthews, it is the sort of adjustment that could matter well beyond a six-game snapshot. [Read more 🡒]
William Nylander Is Driving Why The Maple Leafs Look Dangerous Again
William Nylander keeps giving the Maple Leafs the kind of offensive push that changes the feel of a game before it even settles in. In Torontos 6-3 win over Colorado, he was central to everything, helping fuel a stretch that has the Leafs looking far more dangerous early in the season and making life easier for teammates who have been able to build off that momentum.
The scoring burst also fit neatly into the bigger arc of Nylanders career in Toronto, where his production has become the kind of steady force this team can lean on. With the way he is driving play right now, the Leafs are getting both immediate results and a reminder that their top-end skill can tilt a night quickly when he is rolling. [Read more 🡒]