The Toronto Maple Leafs’ defenseman has been working out but has yet to put on a pair of skates since suffering a knee injury on Nov. 21 against the New York Islanders.
Morgan Rielly continues to heal from a knee injury, but it’s unclear if the defenseman will be able to return from a knee injury at the first opportunity he can do so later this month.
Rielly injured his knee on Nov 21 in a collision with New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri. Toronto quickly put the defenseman on the long-term injured reserve and did not provide a timeline other than to say he wouldn’t be available until at least the mandated 10 games and 24 days required to be out.
He is eligible to return on Dec. 17 against the Washington Capitals, but based on his recovery schedule, it’s not clear if he will hit that target.
“He’s not skating here yet,” Keefe said of Rielly. “He’s in training, working out and healing. I think there’s nothing at this point to say he’s off the timeline. I’m not exactly where it’s at in terms of him getting on the ice and skating.”
Toronto is certainly not in any urgent need to rush the defenseman along, having gone 6-0-1 since his injury. The team is also getting versatile defenseman TJ Brodie back into the lineup against the Los Angeles Kings after fully recovering from an oblique injury.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported rumblings of a Grade 1 or 2 MCL strain in Rielly’s knee and that the defenseman could be out for four-to-six weeks. The later part of that range would see Rielly not return until Jan. 2, 2023.
Rielly has 16 assists in 20 games this season. He has averaged 23 minutes of ice time.