Tavares missed the team's morning skate, which put his status as the club's first home game of the season in doubt.
Tavares missed the team's morning skate, which put his status as the club's first home game of the season in doubt.
John Tavares will miss the Toronto Maple Leafs' home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday due to an illness, the club announced on Saturday.
Tavares missed the club's full morning skate earlier in the day. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said it was a "possibility" that Tavares would play, but that's clearly not happening at this point.
Morgan Rielly, who has only been wearing the alternate captaincy for road games this season, will wear the 'A' in Tavares' absence for the club's home opener.
Tavares scored one of the club's four goals in their 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, their first victory of the season.
With Tavares out, Pontus Holmberg and Bobby McMann were both elevated to the club's second line to skate alongside William Nylander.
Holmberg has had a strong training camp and has made an impression under Berube.
"I see a lot of good in all three zones with him," Berube said of Holmberg.
Although Holmberg experimented on the wing last season, he told The Hockey News on Saturday he prefers the center position because it keeps him more "involved".
Holmberg has averaged 13:17 of ice time through two games and has become a trusted penalty killer, particularly as the lone forward on the on the 5-on-3 penalty kill.
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