Maple Leafs injuries: Craig Berube offers updates on Chris Tanev, Dakota Joshua, and more
The Toronto Maple Leafs had their first practice since before the start of the Olympic break, and with it came updates on the status of the injured players.
With the likes of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson unavailable for obvious reasons, the lines that head coach Craig Berube used were going to be a jumbled mess. The most notable name to be included in the primary four-line rushes was Dakota Joshua, who took reps on the fourth line with Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton.
Joshua, who has been out since December 28 after suffering a kidney laceration against the Detroit Red Wings, says he feels rusty and wants to see how this week goes before determining if he can play on February 25 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“It was great having him back out there,” Berube said via The Hockey News ‘ Nick Barden. “We’ll see where he gets to. He’s feeling good, ready to go, so we’ll see how it goes this week.”
Matthew Knies, who recently admitted that he had been fighting through a nagging knee injury for weeks, was back on the third line that was used before the break alongside Nicolas Roy and Nick Robertson. Knies felt the Olympics would be a prime opportunity to rest and recover from the ailment, and he told reporters after practice that the two weeks off provided exactly that.
“Yeah, I feel great,” he said via Sportsnet’s Anna Dua. “I think it’s in a great spot. I spent a lot of time on it and it was a pretty valuable two weeks for me just to get the rest and the rehab and everything.”
Additionally, Morgan Rielly was back on the ice after having missed the Leafs’ last two games before the break due to an upper-body injury he suffered on January 31 against the Vancouver Canucks. Berube said that the defenceman would be good to go after the break and likely in his usual spot alongside Brandon Carlo.
Most shocking of all was the update provided about Chris Tanev, whose season has been hanging in the balance since suffering a groin injury against the Red Wings. Tanev was seen getting some work in on his own pad of ice before the main group began practicing, indicating that a return to the lineup this season remains possible.
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