With William Nylander locked up for the long term, THN's David Alter breaks down what it means for the Toronto Maple Leafs moving forward. Roni Hirvonen might not be ready for game action, but he's one step closer. The 22-year-old joined Marlies practice on Thursday morning, his first full non-contact skate with the entire team since suffering an eye injury on Oct. 15 against the Utica Comets. "It's an exciting time," Marlies head coach John Gruden said on Thursday. Hirvonen's had an eye injury, which is why he hasn't appeared in any game action for the Marlies since October. Gruden revealed on Jan. 02 that he had begun skating with the organization's return-to-play staff in hopes that a return is possible this season. Following Hirvonen's first full non-contact skate with the team, he led the squad in post-practice stretches. "It's exciting to see him out there," Gruden said, "and if things go as planned, hopefully, we'll see him here (in a game) sooner than later." It isn't known how close Hirvonen is to returning to game action, but it's promising to see him back on the ice. At practice on Thursday, he skated alongside Kyle Clifford and Dmitry Ovchinnikov for drills, showing off the skill he still possesses. Nonetheless, seeing him step onto the ice for a full non-contact skate with the Marlies is massive progress in the player's recovery process. Hirvonen was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round (59th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft. Before coming to North America, he scored 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists) in 57 games last season with HIFK of the Finnish Elite League. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related Maple Leafs Enter Game Against Flames in Fourth Place in the Atlantic Division as Red Wings Move Ahead, Lineups and Where to Watch [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-enter-game-against-flames-in-fourth-place-in-the-atlantic-division-as-red-wings-move-ahead-lineups-and-where-to-watch] 'Halfway Through The Season, I Still Have A Lot Of Questions About Who Is Going To Get The Job Done For Us': Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe Still Searching for Right Players to Trust in Key Moments [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/halfway-through-the-season-i-still-have-a-lot-of-questions-about-who-is-going-to-get-the-job-done-for-us-maple-leafs-head-coach-sheldon-keefe-still-searching-for-right-players-to-trust-in-key-moments] 'It's A Special Opportunity': Kieffer Bellows Excited For What's to Come with Marlies After Signing One-Year Deal with Maple Leafs' AHL Team [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/its-a-special-opportunity-kieffer-bellows-excited-for-whats-to-come-with-marlies-after-signing-one-year-deal-with-maple-leafs-ahl-team] News from THN.com Five NHL Skaters Upping Their Scoring Against Division Rivals in 2023-24 [https://thehockeynews.com/news/five-nhl-skaters-upping-their-scoring-against-division-rivals-in-2023-24] Notable Forwards Potentially Available At the NHL Trade Deadline [https://thehockeynews.com/news/notable-forwards-potentially-available-at-the-nhl-trade-deadline] NHL Playoff Race Check-In: Battle Intensifies for Six Teams Vying for East Wild Cards [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-playoff-race-check-in-battle-intensifies-for-six-teams-vying-for-east-wild-cards]
