The Toronto Maple Leafs appeared to have dodged a bullet the size of a bunker buster.
It appears that defenseman Jake McCabe will be just fine, following the horrendously frightening injury situation during the first period of the Leafs’ game 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
With the score 1-1, McCabe took a high stick from Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson right under the visor. He was slow to get up and did not return.
Jake McCabe is not on the Leafs bench to begin the second period after exiting the game following this scary stick to the face#leafs pic.twitter.com/HqSBw0oMJ5
— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) October 21, 2026
According to reports, McCabe left the game out of precautionary reasons.
Jim Hiller says Jake McCabe was held out more for precautionary reasons and appears to be ok. @Ozoon_CA
— David Alter (@davidalter) October 21, 2026
That’s fantastic news for a blueline corps that just cannot afford any more losses. Mainstay Chris Tanev is already out for an indefinite period. That’s why losing McCabe could have been a devastating blow.
The Maple Leafs managed to weather the storm on Tuesday night. Coach Jim Hiller spread McCabe’s minutes around, with Troy Stecher leading the Leafs’ blueliners in ice time with over 26 minutes. The defense rallied, holding the anemic Blue Jackets offense to two goals.
The biggest factor in the win was the penalty kill. Toronto’s PK, sans McCabe, was a perfect 6-for-6. That was a crucial difference between making the win a blowout and having to eke out a close game.
McCabe’s injury scare highlights legit concerns about Maple Leafs blueline depth
While it’s unclear where McCabe will be available for Toronto’s next game on Thursday night against the New York Rangers, his eventual return is most welcome.
The idea of losing McCabe for an extended period highlighted legit concerns about the Maple Leafs blueline depth. Without him, the Leafs would have had to roll with both Nick Blankenburg and Marshall Rifai. While the two depth defensemen have played well, they aren’t exactly the most reassuring guys on the blue line.
That’s why everyone held their breath when McCabe went down. McCabe and Tanev were part of a fantastic shutdown duo that helped the Maple Leafs become a top defensive team two seasons ago.
And while the Maple Leafs have been much improved on the defensive side of the puck, well, the last thing anyone really wants to see is another cornerstone player go down with a serious injury.
Heck, we don’t want to see anyone get hurt. But when it’s a major piece like McCabe, it sends shivers down the collective Leafs Nation’s spine.
Let’s see if McCabe is back in the lineup on Thursday night. If not, a potential return date could be on Saturday night, when the Leafs face the red-hot Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.
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