Maple Leafs' John Klingberg to Miss Games Against Blackhawks and Penguins With a Lingering Injury
The Toronto Maple Leafs will play in at least their next two games without the services of defenseman John Klingberg, who continues to deal with an undisclosed injury.
"There's no update on him other than to say he's continuing to work through things," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of Klingberg on Wednesday. "We'll have something for you when something's changed. At this point, there is no change in his status."
Klingberg will miss games on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins, and possibly more.
The 31-year-old defenseman has been out of the lineup since returning for one game on Nov. 11 where he logged 19 minutes in a 5-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks.
The defenseman spoke about the injury while in Sweden for the 2023 NHL Global Series. While he didn't get into specifics, he noted that the issue pertains to something he's been dealing with throughout his career.
"That’s why it’s a little bit different now because we went a little bit harder on it and see how it would respond to it," Klingberg said last week. "It's still pretty fresh into this treatment so we’ll see where it lands. Hopefully, I start feeling better soon."
Klingberg's had many injuries over the course of his career and has twice undergone hip surgery.
Signed to a one-year, $4.15 million contract by the Maple Leafs in July, Klingberg suited up for the club's first 13 games of the regular season. On Nov. 8, the defenseman was on the ice for four goals against in a 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators. That prompted the Maple Leafs to scratch Klingberg due to injury for a game against the Calgary Flames on Nov. 10.
Klingberg accompanied the Leafs in Sweden. The player had hoped to participate in the Stockholm games but was in apparent discomfort, particularly during Saturday's practice where he left the ice less than 10 minutes into the session.
Klingberg did not take part in the team's first practice on the ice. The Leafs said the player had undergone "aggressive treatment" before the team flew to Sweden last week with the hope of being able to get Klingberg back to form. But right now, there is no clarity.
The Leafs could get some help on the back end with Conor Timmins practising on the third pair in place of Simon Benoit.
Out with a lower-body injury since the pre-season, the defenseman is feeling better with each day and the Leafs would need to find space to accommodate his $1.1 million cap hit from long-term injured reserve.
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