The defenseman has been out since November 2 with the ailment.
The Toronto Maple Leafs could be getting a defenseman back in the not-do-distance future.
Timothy Liljegren continues to skate with the group and his return to the lineup could take place soon.
"He's close here. From a health perspective, he's in a pretty good spot," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said on Thursday. "It's just a matter of his conditioning and getting him game-ready."
Liljegren has been skating with the club over the last week as he continues his recovery from a high-ankle sprain. The defenseman was injured on Nov. 2 when he was tripped along the corner boards by Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand.
The club has not held a practice over the last week due to the frequency of games and travel days.
"That's limited his ability to really build himself up and feel confident to go into a game setting," Keefe explained. "But he's getting real close."
The injuries were piling up for the Leafs but they have benefited from players like Conor Timmins returning from injury in his absence. Keefe has also been pleased with the play of depth defensemen William Lagesson and Simon Benoit. That was a contributing factor in seeing more of a spread of depth in minutes amongst defensemen during the club's 7-3 victory against the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
Veteran defenseman Mark Giordano remains out and his return is further away than Liljegren's. Giordano skated by himself with return-to-play staff on Thursday before the team's full morning skate ahead of their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets later in the evening.
Giordano sustained a broken finger on Nov. 28 against the Florida Panthers.
The 24-year-old Liljegren has one assist in 10 games this season while averaging 17:56 of ice time. He accompanied the team for their New York trip and worked with staff on the ice as he continued to work on his eventual return to the lineup.
Related
- Maple Leafs' Timothy Liljegren 'Close' To Returning From High-Ankle Sprain Injury
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