The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a truly frightening scenario following John Tavares’ injury on Thursday night.
The veteran forward left the game early in the third period of Toronto’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The suspect injury occurred during this play:
Tavares needed some help getting up, but managed to skate off on his own. It was evident he wasn’t putting much weight on his right leg, leading to suspicions about a potential injury.
As notable medical expert, Dr. Harjas Grewal noted, there is a worst-case scenario that could leave the former Maple Leafs captain with a torn ACL.
While Dr. Grewal highlighted that a major ACL injury is not as likely, an MCL or ankle sprain could be the likeliest outcome. And something like that could lead the Maple Leafs to lose a key forward for several weeks.
At this point, the severity of the injury is nothing more than a matter of speculation. Tavares will be evaluated on Friday, with the club potentially announcing the next steps forward.
The crushing injury comes on top of defenseman Chris Tanev, whom the Maple Leafs placed on IR and listed as week-to-week.
That’s two key veteran pieces that the Leafs will try to navigate without for the foreseeable future.
Toronto Will Have to Figure Out Tavares Replacement on the Wing
If John Tavares misses significant time, the Maple Leafs have a few options to shuffle their forward lines without necessarily disrupting the center position. Nick Paul occupied the second-line center spot on Thursday night, meaning Toronto could keep him down the middle and look for a replacement on the wing instead.
Easton Cowan is an obvious candidate to move up. The young forward has already had opportunities in the top six, and an increased role could give him the chance to establish himself as a more consistent offensive contributor. It would also allow the Maple Leafs to evaluate what they have in Cowan while dealing with an unexpected lineup problem.
Gavin McKenna is another possibility, although his situation is more complicated after coach Jim Hiller benched him against Buffalo. That decision suggests the rookie may not be ready for a bigger responsibility just yet. Still, injuries can create opportunities, and Toronto may have to reconsider its options if Tavares is sidelined for weeks rather than days.
Maple Leafs May Need to Get Creative if Tavares Misses Extended Time
The severity of Tavares’ injury will determine how aggressively Toronto needs to respond. If the Maple Leafs are dealing with a long-term absence involving a torn ACL or another significant knee injury, simply rearranging the forward lines may not be enough to maintain their scoring depth.
A trade could be an option, but it is far from a guaranteed solution. Acquiring a legitimate top-six forward in October can be difficult, particularly when the other team knows Toronto is dealing with an injury. The cost could also be significant for a club that may prefer to preserve its assets rather than make a desperate move.
A call-up from the AHL could offer a more practical alternative. Toronto could give a developing forward an opportunity, or it could lean on its existing depth and spread Tavares’ minutes among several players. Neither option would fully replace his offensive production and experience, but the Maple Leafs might not have a better immediate solution.
Ultimately, Toronto should avoid making a major move until it knows the extent of the injury. If Tavares is out long term, however, the club will need more than a temporary line shuffle to limit the damage.
Maple Leafs Face Frightening Possibility After Tavares Injury