Toronto Maple Leafs management is performing roster gymnastics to set out a healthy lineup for their game against the New York Islanders. Two players on the team have come down with a case of the flu. Due to their illness, Swedes Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Pontus Holmberg will not feature in Tuesday’s game against the Isles. Ekman-Larsson was forced to miss practice on Monday because of his sickness.
Since Ekman-Larsson and Holmberg won’t be playing, the Leafs have had to make some roster moves and lineup adjustments.
Leafs Captain Goes To IR
Amid all these adjustments, the centrepiece is the Maple Leafs placing captain Auston Matthews on injury reserve. For the second time this season, the team placed him on IR on Tuesday, retroactively on Dec. 20. Therefore, even though he’s on IR, he’s eligible to return whenever he and the team are ready because it’s already been seven days. The three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner has missed 13 games this season and will be 14 after Tuesday’s tilt with the Islanders. The 27-year-old has been practicing with the team, but there is no clear indication when he will be returning to the lineup. Toronto’s next game after Tuesday will be on Thursday against the Islanders again, this time in Long Island.
While Matthews remains out of the lineup, Toronto made this transaction to allow a roster move.
Marshall Rifai has been called up from the Toronto Marlies. He isn’t set to play against the Islanders on Tuesday. However, he is available if head coach Craig Berube needs to call on him. Rifai has only played two NHL games but made a good impression during the preseason. The undrafted defenceman has spent most of his professional career with the Marlies, playing 150 games over the past three seasons. During that time, he scored eight goals 39 points and accumulated 211 penalty minutes. This season, the 26-year-old has recorded two goals and assists in 24 games in the AHL.
Main Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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