The Toronto Maple Leafs have been without former captain John Tavares for nearly three weeks now after he was hurt during a contest against the divisional rival Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 15.
So far this season, the Maple Leafs have been inconsistent while having clearly felt the absence of the veteran forward.
The good news is that Tavares was back on the ice during practice on Wednesday at the club’s training facility, albeit wearing a red no-contact jersey. And according to the latest from head coach Jim Hiller, if all goes according to plan, he could potentially return to the lineup by the weekend.
Toronto Maple Leafs Forward John Tavares Was Back At Practice On Wednesday
The former Maple Leafs captain was back on the ice during practice at the club’s training facility on Wednesday, and things were looking up, according to head coach Jim Hiller.
According to Hiller, Tavares looked “really good” during the practice session and could potentially return by Saturday’s contest against the divisional rival Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.
“Jim Hiller says John Tavares looked ‘really good’ at practice. Tomorrow is day off for team. If all goes well at Friday’s practice, coach is hoping to see Tavares back in the lineup on Saturday against Habs,” wrote NHL Insider Mark Masters on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In the seven games that Tavares has played so far this season, he’s tallied two goals with five assists.
The Maple Leafs Have Experienced Numerous Injury Concerns So Far This Season
Tavares, who has missed nearly the last three weeks, isn’t the only significant injury that the Leafs have experienced so far this season.
Forward Kirill Marchenko, whom they acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, is currently listed as week to week with a lower-body injury and is currently on Injured Reserve.
Veteran defenseman Chris Tanev, who missed all but 11 games in 2025-26, has been limited to just eight games so far in 2026-27. Additionally, Miles Wood is on Long-Term Injured Reserve.
What’s more, forward Max Domi has yet to play this season after experiencing complications in the wake of offseason surgery.
Maple Leafs Tease John Tavares Return Date After Major Injury Update