Leafs' most important defenseman leaves game with freak injury

The Toronto Maple Leafs got extremely unlucky on Thursday night and after an awkward collision between opposing players, they might have just lost their most important defenseman for a good chunk of time.

Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson had to exit Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks after being twisted up with former Leaf Adam Gaudette along the boards. The end result was that the veteran blueliner needed assistance to get off the ice and while there is no official word from the team at the time of writing, one has to assume that Ekman-Larsson's night is done.

Leafs' Ekman-Larsson leaves game vs. Sharks

The unfortunate collision starts with Gaudette coming hard into the back boards in pursuit of the loose puck, but then loses an edge and just smacks his entire body up against the boards. But as Gaudette's body was on the ice, it appears that he caught Ekman-Larsson's left skate underneath it and caused some sort of brutal injury.

Whether it is something that just puts him on a week-to-week recovery schedule or is something much worse, the Leafs are going to miss Ekman-Larsson no matter what. Out of every Toronto blueliner this season, the veteran Swede has been the most consistent performer in all areas of the ice.

In what could have been a career year for Ekman-Larsson, he has already scored four goals and 20 points in 30 games. That amount of offense coming from the blue line, and especially from the Leafs', is something that is increasingly valuable.

We will certainly find out more information about the seriousness of Ekman-Larsson's injury and if there is any expectation that he is going to miss any time, after the game with head coach Craig Berube. Well, we hope to find that out.

Ekman-Larsson signed a four-year contract with the Maple Leafs in 2024 and has scored eight goals and 49 points through his 107 games in Toronto.