The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to face significant challenges this season as their roster deals with a series of injuries. The latest blow comes with the announcement that Nicolas Roy will be sidelined due to an upper-body injury, confirmed by head coach Craig Berube following Monday’s practice. This development will impact the team’s lineup, particularly as they prepare to face the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
Roy, who recently played his first game with the Leafs as a second-line center in a close 3-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, began to fill a critical gap left by injuries to key players Auston Matthews and Scott Laughton. Despite logging a season-high 19:45 of ice time in that game and recording five shots on goal, details surrounding the nature of Roy’s injury remain unclear. In response to his absence, Max Domi has been moved up to take Roy’s place on the second line alongside Matthew Knies and Easton Cowan, while Jacob Quillan has been called up from the Toronto Marlies to join the practice squad.
While Scott Laughton is making progress, participating in a full practice without a non-contact jersey for the first time since his injury against the Boston Bruins on November 8, he will not be ready to join the team against the Blues. Auston Matthews, placed on injured reserve due to his own lower-body injury, has yet to practice with the team, and there has been no update regarding his return.
Compounding the team’s troubles, the Leafs have recently placed defenseman Brandon Carlo on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury. With Chris Tanev and goaltender Anthony Stolarz also out with injuries, the situation seems increasingly dire, with the team missing their three best centers and two key defensemen.
Despite these setbacks and a current five-game losing streak, there remains hope for the roster’s resilience. Jacob Quillan’s call-up and the potential return of some injured players could provide necessary reinforcements as the season progresses. As the Leafs navigate through these challenges, they will be looking to rally their remaining depth and secure much-needed victories to turn their fortunes around.