Toronto Maple Leafs: Injury Concerns Are Stacking Up

The injuries are stacking up for the Toronto Maple Leafs this pre-season, with two more in the most recent game against Montreal.

Obviously injuries can happen any time of the year and the Toronto Maple Leafs are feeling like they’re perhaps having some bad luck this pre-season.

However, you’d have to think that pre-season would be one of the more likely times for injuries to occur given players haven’t had true game-time for a few months, and could possibly be slightly out of shape.

As such, it’s probably overblown to suggest that there are indeed any underlying fitness or durability concerns and that what the Toronto Maple Leafs are currently dealing with is just a little bit of bad luck.

Which Toronto Maple Leafs Players Are Currently Injured?

Starting with the most recent two injuries, both Jordie Benn and Carl Dahlstrom left the game with the Montreal Canadiens on September 28, with both being assessed as sitting for precautionary reasons.

Despite the team erring on the side of caution, you’d have to imagine that the Toronto Maple Leafs medical staff saw enough reason to be concerned as it left the team with 4 defensemen and saw Alex Kerfoot and Calle Jarnkrok taking blue-line shifts.

Post-game, Sheldon Keefe noted that Benn suffered a groin injury and Dahlstrom a shoulder injury, with both expected to miss time, leaving a depth chart that seems likely to feature Victor Mete in the starting line-up, though at least Rasmus Sandin has now re-signed.

Also announced this week was the oblique strain suffered by team captain, John Tavares, which leaves the team a little bereft of center depth. His three-week timeline to recovery is a little unfortunate in some respects as it’ll likely prevent any cap savings through long-term injured reserve (24 days minimum).

Newly-arrived forward, Adam Gaudette also suffered a blow to his chances at making the opening night roster with a shoulder injury announced on September 26, listed as day-to-day though suggesting he may still get some more pre-season chances.

Jake Muzzin is the remaining member of the hopefully back on the ice soon group, with the Toronto Maple Leafs allowing him some leeway when it comes to the first week of training camp, as he’s got some back soreness issues – better to play it safe this early in the year.

In terms of the team’s other injury concerns; Pierre Engvall, Timothy Liljegren, Joseph Woll and Mikhail Abramov all arrived at training camp injured with Engvall the most likely candidate to actually be fit in time for the regular season starting.

Timothy Liljegren is likely headed to long-term injured reserve as he’s recovering from a sports hernia, which will ultimately elicit some small cap saving for the team.

All in all, the Toronto Maple Leafs could be in a worse spot, but certainly aren’t in an ideal place either with the likelihood of starting the year missing at least one defensemen and possibly 1 or 2 potential replacements.

In a fresh development, the list now circling the media also lists Axel Rindell and Fraser Minten as injured. Neither is likely to feature in the regular season but it’s worth talking about the fact they’re yet more injured players this camp.

Between those concerns on the blue-line and the injury to Tavares, the team’s depth is going to be put to the test early.