The Maple Leafs practiced with six left-handed defensemen as Liljegren missed practice with an unknown injury.
The Maple Leafs practiced with six left-handed defensemen as Liljegren missed practice with an unknown injury.
The Toronto Maple Leafs may be forced to dress six left-handed defenseman as right-handed defenseman Timothy Liljegren missed practice on Monday.
"He's not ruled out for tomorrow," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe cautioned. "We just had to give him an extra day today. We’ll see where he’s at in the morning. He got banged up, left the bench a couple of times in the third period and wasn’t able to finish the game."
Liljegren logged 20:40 of ice time in the club's 4-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. It's not know the severity of the player's injury nor is it clear exactly when he was hurt in the game.
The Leafs skated at practice preparing as if they won't have the 24-year-old in the lineup when the club hosts the Vegas Golden Knights. They split up the regular pair of Simon Benoit and Jake McCabe and moved McCabe up to the right side of TJ Brodie. Rielly skated with Benoit.
Mark Giordano, who returned to the team after he was placed on the non-roster list to grieve the passing of his father, Paul, last week. skated with William Lagesson.
Keefe noted that Giordano's return to action is dependent on Liljegren's status. That means Lagesson would have been the preferred player to stay in the lineup regardless of Giordano's availability.
If Liljegren is somehow able to play on Tuesday, it would be expected that the Leafs would keep the defensive pairs as they were the last couple of games since Morgan Rielly had returned from serving a five-game suspension.
"It just needs a little more time to settle down. In terms of his availability for tomorrow. It’s up in the air so we’ll see where he’s; at when we come to the rink tomorrow."
If Liljegren can't play, it would mark just the second time this season that Leafs dressed six left-handed defensemen in a game.
The Leafs trotted out Rielly-Brodie, Giordano-McCabe and Benoit-Lagesson in a 5-4 shootout win against the Calgary Flames on Nov. 10.
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