FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla — Brandon Carlo will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup anytime soon. Head coach Craig Berube provided an update on Carlo, who had his lower-body injury assessed on Monday. "It's going to be an extended time," Berube said ahead of the club's game against the Florida Panthers. "He's got to get something done. So it didn't go the way we thought. So he's going to be out for a bit. Berube also said Carlo will "probably" need surgery. The 29-year-old defenseman has been out of action since Nov. 13. What started as maintenance turned into a longer absence. The Maple Leafs acquired Carlo at the March trade deadline last season in exchange for forward Fraser Minten and a top-five-protected first-round pick in 2026. The defenseman's absence looms large over that trade now, with no timeline for a return. Carlo has two assists in 18 games this season. Meanwhile, the news isn't much better for Anthony Stolarz. The goaltender has yet to take the ice since he was pulled after the first period of the club's 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Nov. 11 with an upper-body injury. "No real improvement there either," Berube said. Joseph Woll started six consecutive games in Stolarz's absence before getting a break against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. Woll will be between the pipes when the Leafs take on the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Before his absence, Stolarz had struggled to put up the stellar numbers he posted over the previous two seasons. He has a 6-5-1 record with an .884 save percentage. The good news is defenseman Chris Tanev continues to skate back in Toronto as the club continues along their season-long five-game road trip. "He's going to have to get looked at here soon, I think, again, and see where he's at," Berube said. "He's skating, though. Feels okay. I have no real update other than that on him." Tanev has been out since Nov. 1 when he left the game on a stretcher following a collision with Philadephia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov. Tanev was playing in his first game before missing two weeks with a concussion. Latest stories: Oliver Ekman-Larsson Avoids Injury Scare, Could Tie A Maple Leafs Franchise Record Vs. Panthers: 'No Pressure' [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/oliver-ekman-larsson-avoids-injury-scare-could-tie-a-maple-leafs-franchise-record-vs-panthers-no-pressure] Maple Leafs' Brandon Carlo Returns To Toronto 'To Get Looked At By Doctor' After Injury Setback [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-brandon-carlo-returns-to-toronto-to-get-looked-at-by-doctor-after-injury-setback] 'Nothing You Need To Worry About': William Nylander Shines In Return After Illness, Deflects Questions On Absence [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/nothing-you-need-to-worry-about-william-nylander-shines-in-return-after-illness-deflects-questions-on-absence]
