The Maple Leafs had hoped the defenseman would return to practice on Wednesday and now is likely to miss the game against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.
The Maple Leafs had hoped the defenseman would return to practice on Wednesday and now is likely to miss the game against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.
STOCKHOLM — Despite returning to action for one game due to a still unknown injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs are unlikely to have defenseman John Klingberg in the lineup when the team takes on the Detroit Red Wings for the first of next two games to be played in Stockholm, Sweden.
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe had hoped that the Swedish defenseman would be able to join the team for their practice on Wednesday, but he did not take the ice. Instead, he watched the practice, which took place at Hovet Arena.
"We were hoping to use this time with the gap in between (games) to give him some more time to heal but to also have some aggressive treatment that could really help, but that is taking longer than thought," Keefe said of Klingberg. "The expectation is that once he gets over the hump he'll be feeling better."
"I don't think the long flight did him any favors."
The 31-year-old defenseman has struggled this season. Signed to a one-year, $4.15 million contract by the Leafs in July, Klingberg has five assists in 14 games. Keefe revealed the defenseman was injured just before he was scratched on Friday against the Calgary Flames.
The club has a mandated day off on Thursday and will likely dress a lineup similar to what was set up at practice on Wednesday.
Due to playing a pair of games overseas, the Maple Leafs have just two games in 12 days and it appears the club was going to great lengths to ensure the defenseman was healthy enough to overcome any shortcomings in his game.
Before the team took off to Stockholm on Monday, Keefe declined to reveal any details of Klingberg's injury,
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