Toronto Maple Leafs superstar forward Mitch Marner has missed each of his team's last eight games, and the 26-year-old is expected to be on the shelf for at least two more.
Marner won't play again this week — either against the Washington Capitals at home on Thursday, or vs. the Buffalo Sabres in Western New York on Saturday, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed.
But the former first-round pick will practice with the team on Friday, opening the door for a possible return sometime next week.
“The hope or plan is that we can get him to be able to be in a [full] practice on Friday,” Keefe explained, according to NHL.com's Dave McCarthy.
“I do not expect him to be available or even to consider him playing this week, but he looked really good out there today and progress looks to be good. He looks to be in a good place. We just have to continue to build him up.”
Marner suffered a high ankle sprain against the Boston Bruins back on March 7, and has been replaced next to Auston Matthews by Max Domi. The Canadian participated in an optional practice ahead of Thursday's tilt with the Caps.
Marner has amassed an excellent 25 goals and 76 points through 62 games in 2023-24, and his presence is being missed in Toronto.
Leafs staying course, not excelling without Mitch Marner
The Leafs have been good if unspectacular without one of their most important players, going 4-3-1 since Marner went down. Although the record is certainly manageable, the star has been missed in other facets of the game.
“It’s on the territorial side of things that the Matthews-led top line doesn’t control the game the same way without Marner. They’ve not been nearly as dominant, especially on the defensive side of things,” wrote The Athletic's Jonas Siegel on Thursday morning.
“Matthews, for instance, is right around 52 percent in the expected goals department in this stretch without Marner. The Leafs have generated 3.2 expected goals per 60 minutes when he’s on the ice and about three against. Giving up, in other words, about as much as they get.”
The Leafs are clearly missing Marner's excellent playmaking ability, especially as a right-shooting setup man, per Siegel. He leads the team with 13 primary assists on the powerplay, including assisting on 11 of Matthews' 15 PP tallies.
Along with Mitch Marner, goaltender Ilya Samsonov practiced on Wednesday. He left early in a 6-3 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers on Hockey Night in Canada due to a bruised calf.
“Everything is good,” the netminder confirmed earlier this week, per McCarthy. “Nice day today. A little bit of practice with the guys, with players. I feel good. I think I'm ready to play. I'm available right now. I hit some post with my calf, little bit contusion on my muscle. I don't know how to say; I'm not really good with the medical stuff, but like a cramp. Last couple days, it felt pretty sore. … Moving is great now. [It doesn't] hurt anymore.”
Joseph Woll will get the start when the Leafs welcome Alex Ovechkin and the surging Capitals to Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night.
Follow Us
Subscribe