Anthony Stolarz is the latest Toronto Maple Leafs player to be '"day-to-day" and fans are right to be pessimistic.
DETROIT — Just before the Toronto Maple Leafs took their charter to the Motor City on Friday, head coach Craig Berube was asked to provide an update on goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who sustained a lower-body injury in the first period of the club's 3-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.
"I thought we got good news on him," Berube said. "Day-to-day right now. Obviously, he didn't go on the ice today, but we'll see tomorrow if he can get out there."
When asked if he thought Stolarz would play next week, the timeline shifted a little.
"I do, but in saying that again, he's got to get on the ice. But it was good news overall, so let's just leave it at that. It's right now, it's day to day."
As a reporter does, I posted the update and the replies were filled with fans not buying it. The pessimism is understandable, given a lack of transparency over injury updates. The Leafs have limited most of their injury updates to upper or lower body, a term the late Pat Quinn invented during the Maple Leafs' playoff runs of the early 2000s. While we can agree or disagree about the club's methods of revealing specifics, what's new is how off or wrong the timelime of many day-to-day injuries have been.
To be fair, the Maple Leafs have gone through a lot of injuries this season. But most of the club's ailment have begun with a "day-to-day" timeline.
Calle Jarnkrok, who played one pre-season game before being shutdown with a sports hernia was initially "day-to-day:.
When it came to light that Joseph Woll was not going to be able play in Toronto's season opener on Oct. 9 due to what was later revealed as "groin tightness", Berube was asked if Woll would be available to the club the following night against the New Jersey Devils.
"We'll see tomorrow," Berube said. Woll ended up missing two weeks.
Captain Auston Matthews missed nine games with an upper-body injury and was listed as day-to-day when the Leafs revealed the news on Nov. 5. Matthews went on to miss four weeks and the player went over to Germany to seek additional treatment.
When Brad Treliving was asked about why a day-to-day evolved into what it had, the Toronto Maple Leafs GM was defensive on the matter.
"Well, it is day-to-day. So sometimes day-to-day takes a little time." Treliving said.
Matthew Knies sustained an upper-body injury when his head hit the ice following a hit from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud on Nov. 20. The forward missed two games over a 10-day span and a day-to-day assessment can be considered fair.
When Max Pacioretty was injured after a hit from Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson, the player was considered week-to-week. That assessment turned out to be on the money as the player missed the 10 games and 24 days he was required to by being placed on long-term injured reserve. The player did note although he was feeling good, there were some things "beyond my control" that prevented him from returning to the lineup earlier.
Bobby McMann was out of the lineup since Nov. 27 with a groin injury and was initially given a week-to-week notice. If he returns against the Red Wings on Saturday as expected, he will have missed nearly three weeks.
Max Domi returned to the lineup earlier this week in New Jersey after missing eight games with a lower body injury. The three week-long absence began with a day-to-day diagnosis and the player was playing through the ailment as well.
And then of course, there is Jake McCabe. The defenseman took a puck to the head against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 30. Berube said the player would be fine, but ended up missing the next five days. To be fair, the player also spoke after missing one game feeling like he was getting better but the team but both he and the team were being extra cautious.
So why are the Maple Leafs being so vague when it comes to timelines?
It all comes down to roster management. The club is being very cautious not to back themselves into a corner. Injuries have allowed the Maple Leafs to remain salary cap compliant without losing many assets. A fully healthy Leafs team has depth, but doesn't have salary cap space. As a player gets hurt, it actually helps the club dance around the roster and their salary cap space. But it can also create friction, as well.
You may recall last season when Ryan Reaves, who was on long-term injured reserve, told Sportsnet's Luke Fox that he had been healthy for weeks. With the player on LTIR it helped the club temporarily maneuver as they figure out how to get him activated, even though the player clearly did not like it.
Nick Robertson was sent to the Marlies last season and spent 10 days skating with the return-to-play staff because Toronto had to figure out how they can fit him back on the roster. He was clearly not happy about the situation.
When Connor Dewar was forced to miss the beginning of the season as he recovered from off-season shoulder surgery, the player was a full participant during practice for the entire duration of his time on LTIR.
Remember when Pacioretty said he was feeling good but there were things beyond his control? Roster limitations play a part. Even though he probably could have played, he was not permitted to until the first day eligible after LTIR. That's when he returned to the lineup, Dec. 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Treliving said he wanted to have depth and he certainly has it right now. But as guys get healthy and injured there will be a lot of roster shuffling on a day-to-day basis. So these days, the "day-to-day" has very little to do with the player's injury and more to do with Toronto's ability to stay within the roster rules and limitations on a given 24 hour period.
Players can play through ailments, as evidence by Domi who played during something before he was shut down. And as Toronto deals with roster and cap limitations, if a player needs more time to recover, there certainly isn't a rush to activate players before they are ready.