The Toronto Maple Leafs took another hit on Sunday, and this one landed right before puck drop.
Jack Roslovic was ruled out with a lower-body injury just minutes before the Leafs were set to face the New Jersey Devils. He had already been listed day-to-day, but the update made it clear he would not be available for the game.
It is the latest setback in a rough stretch for Toronto. Earlier in the day, Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev were also ruled out, leaving the club shorthanded yet again.
Roslovic’s absence stings because the Leafs had been using him on the first line alongside Auston Matthews and Kirill Marchenko. With Marchenko also out of the lineup, Toronto is dealing with a major hole up front at a time when it can least afford one.
The timing is especially tough given where the Leafs stand. Toronto is 8-8-2, a mark that is not going to be good enough if it wants to stay in the mix in the Atlantic Division. The division is packed tight, and the Leafs are looking for any spark they can find to start climbing back toward the top.
Saturday night’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens only added to the pressure, and with teams like the Boston Bruins excelling, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
For now, Roslovic remains day-to-day, and there is no clear timetable for his return. But for Sunday night, the Leafs were left to try to handle the Devils without another key piece of their lineup.
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Maple Leafs Loss To Montreal Came With An Even Bigger Concern
The Maple Leafs left Montreal with more than a loss to sort through after a 4-2 defeat that featured a strong night from the Canadiens and an unwelcome injury scare for Toronto. Alex Newhook drove the offense for Montreal, Zachary Bolduc added a power-play goal and Jacob Fowler turned aside 26 shots as the Canadiens controlled enough of the game to hand Toronto another frustrating result.
Morgan Riellys exit in the second period with a lower-body injury quickly became the bigger concern for the Leafs, especially with the team already trying to steady itself after the loss. Toronto will want clarity on Riellys status soon, because the blue line takes on a different look when one of its most important defensemen is forced out early. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Loss To Montreal Brought One Big Concern Into Focus
The Maple Leafs came out of a 4-2 loss to Montreal with more than just two points left on the table, as Jim Hillers postgame update centered on Morgan Riellys injury status and the lack of any fresh information beyond the fact that it remains a serious concern. Hiller also touched on the broader picture, pointing to the teams effort and game management while trying to sort through a night that exposed a few different issues at once.
There was at least one bright spot in John Tavares return, which Hiller said had a positive effect on William Nylanders play, but the mood around the room was still shaped by the injuries and mistakes that piled up. Hiller also addressed Gavin McKennas turnovers as part of the conversation, a reminder that Torontos margin for error is getting thinner as it tries to steady itself after another uneven outing. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face One Huge Question As Superstar Fit Emerges
A fan-driven trade idea making the rounds this week put Toronto in the middle of another big-name defense discussion, and the reaction was about as lopsided as it gets. The proposed deal would have brought Detroits Simon Edvinsson into the Maple Leafs orbit, but voters overwhelmingly shot it down, with 92% disapproving the concept.
The interest in Edvinsson still says something about where Torontos attention is right now, especially with the market for impact players never far from the conversation. Even as other teams sort out their own lineup situations, the Leafs are left weighing whether a move like that ever makes sense for their roster, cap picture and long-term blue-line plans, which is exactly why this kind of chatter keeps hanging around. [Read more 🡒]