After stringing together four consecutive wins earlier last month, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been struggling of late, having lost three of their last four games while being outscored 15-12 in the process. But the Maple Leafs could be getting a much-needed boost to their offense soon with the encouraging news that they received on Friday.
According to Leafs head coach Jim Hiller, all signs are pointing towards the return of John Tavares ahead of the clash between Toronto and the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night, as per David Alter of The Hockey News. Tavares had been sidelined with a lower-body injury after leaving the game against the Buffalo Sabres on October 15 following an awkward collision with Sabres forward Josh Norris. The Maple Leafs had to do without their star forward for over three weeks, but that absence could finally come to an end this weekend.
John Tavares is coming back to the Maple Leafs at the right time
Having Tavares back in the lineup is actually vital for the Maple Leafs, as it would instantly give Toronto two potent scoring lines once again for opponents to deal with. Not to say that William Nylander, Nick Paul and company weren’t an offensive threat during the 36-year-old’s absence, but his elite presence certainly makes the second line that much more stronger and lethal.
Prior to his lower-body injury, Tavares had managed to put up two goals, five assists for seven points in as many games in his usual point-per-game pace throughout his illustrious NHL career. In addition, with Leafs fans worrying that Nylander hasn’t been his usual puck-carrying and possessing self in recent weeks despite piling up the points, the reassurance in having his long-time linemate back can hopefully help spark the 30-year-old winger into reverting to his old dominant form on the ice in due time.
Tavares’ return to the Maple Leafs lineup, even if it means potentially playing on the wing for the first time, couldn’t have come at a better time as Toronto is in the midst of a crucial six-game homestand that could define the rest of their season. That is because the Leafs will be facing some of the current top teams in the league, including the Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils and of course starting with the upbeat division rivals Canadiens. As a result, the Leafs will hope that Tavares can help lead them to a successful winning streak ahead.
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