With Nicolas Roy out due to an upper-body injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to sink further into their injury crisis, missing three top centers, key defensemen, and their starting goaltender as their losing streak continues.
Depleted Leafs Roster Takes Another Hit: Nic Roy Out With Upper-Body Injury
The Toronto Maple Leafs have gone through a litany of injuries this season. Their depth at center took another blow as Nicolas Roy will be out of the lineup on Tuesday when they host the St. Louis Blues. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed the news following Monday’s practice, only saying it was an upper-body injury.
Roy played his first game with the Leafs as a second-line center in the club’s 3-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. That move was necessary with key centers Auston Matthews (lower-body) and Scott Laughton (upper-body) unavailable to fill the spot.
It is not clear how Roy was injured. He logged a season-high 19:45 skating alongside Matthew Knies and Easton Cowan and recorded a season-high five shots on goal. During practice, Max Domi was elevated to Roy’s spot alongside Knies and Cowan. Jacob Quillan was called up on Monday after Toronto Marlies assistant Mike Dixon called him off the ice at AHL practice so he could take part in the Leafs' practice on another pad at Ford Performance Centre. Quillan skated in Domi’s previous spot with Matias Maccelli and Bobby McMann. The first and fourth lines remained the same as they were last game.
Is help on the way?
Scott Laughton practiced in his first full session without a non-contact jersey since sustaining an upper-body injury during the club’s 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Nov. 8. However, he will not be an option for the game on Tuesday against the Blues. Matthews, who was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, has not yet skated with the team. There has been no timeline given for the star center. Given he hasn’t skated, it doesn’t suggest a return is close to happening.
David Alter (@dalter) on X
#Leafs lines during practice Nov. 17/25
Robertson-Tavares-Nylander
Knies-Domi-Cowan
Maccelli-Quillan-McMann
Joshua-Lorentz-Jarnkrok
Extra: Laughton, Blais
Absent: Roy
Rielly-OEL
Benoit-McCabe
Mermis-Stecher
Myers
Woll
Hildeby
@BodogCA
The Leafs parted ways with David Kampf last week , and this is likely a situation where his presence would be sorely needed. Mired in a season-high five-game losing streak, the injury bug certainly isn’t helping as the club moves forward without three of their top-four options at center.
Depth Issues on Defense and in Goal
The Leafs placed defenseman Brandon Carlo on injured reserve following a lower-body injury retroactive to Nov. 13. Chris Tanev remains out with an upper-body injury and has been on the ice just once since he was stretchered off the ice on Nov. 1. Anthony Stolarz has also not been on the ice since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Bruins last week.
The Leafs are now without their three best centers, two of their four top defensemen, and their best goaltender—certainly a dire situation for the club.
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