Toronto Maple Leafs Get Even Deeper With Player’s Return to Lineup

It’s been a somewhat confusing week for fans of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Trevor Moore.

A fan favorite after a promising introduction to the Toronto Maple Leafs with eight points in 25 games last season, Moore has five points in 21 this year and averages about fourteen minutes of ice time per game.

He’s been sidelined with a shoulder injury he sustained from a hit by the Bruins’ Chris Wagner.

After weeks on the injured reserve, he was announced to be ready for action again on Tuesday in time for the Leafs matchup with the Buffalo Sabres, but a hit in practice derailed any plans of a Tuesday night return.

The bump sent Moore to concussion protocol, which according to Coach Sheldon Keefe, Moore passed.

Toronto Maple Leafs Slowly Getting Healthy

He was kept out of play for what Keefe described as “precautionary reasons” and remained on the injured reserve. Marlies forward Adam Brooks was called up in his place but did not see NHL action.

Now with a seemingly firm return date set Friday night against the New York Rangers, Moore’s long-awaited return to the lineup spells good news for some and bad news for others. Fans have been impatient to get back the 24-year-old American, however, his return won’t be without its consequences: namely, the loss of 23-year-old Dmytro Timashov.

Before Tuesday’s change of plans, Keefe had shared with TSN that Moore would be replacing Timashov in the lineup. Timashov has had eight points in his 23 NHL games — the first of his NHL career — including a breakaway goal in Tuesday’s win over Buffalo.

A silver lining

With the tumultuous season the Toronto Maple Leafs have been having so far, a lot of the public’s attention has fallen (mostly unfairly) on the performance — or lack thereof — of the club’s big stars, including Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Mitch Marner. The Moore saga is exposing a happy little subplot that is often overlooked.

The Leafs may have limited cap space and holes in their defense, but the offensive firepower never ceases to be overwhelming. The Leafs have not had a complete offensive lineup in months, and are currently playing without Moore and forward Andreas Johnsson.

But the Leafs have not looked weaker for it.

Certainly, they’ve looked weak at points, but never for lack of offense. And when the top lines aren’t performing, the bottom ones usually are. Moore’s return is a happy story for Leafs fans, but the fact that Timashov was able to prove himself to be a similar caliber player in his absence is encouraging news as well.

Moore’s injury has proven to be a good opportunity to take a look at the Leaf’s depth players; Gauthier, Engvall, and Holl among them as well; and appreciate their growth as serious players in the NHL. ( Stats from nhl.com.stats.)

It’s especially encouraging that each of these players was formerly coached by new head coach Sheldon Keefe. It’s a pleasantly surprising silver lining to an injury-filled season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.