A league-wide pause could be a blessing in disguise for the Maple Leafs
With news of more and more players around the NHL testing positive thanks to the Omicron variant and the NHL postponing more games than are being played, it may be time for a league wide pause in the schedule. The timing isn't bad for the NHL with the Christmas break starting in just a few days.
A pause in the schedule could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Leafs, who have seen key players sidelined with injuries.
Mitch Marner hasn't played since suffering a shoulder injury during practice after a collision with Jake Muzzin. The Leafs' highest paid winger has been out of action since December 3rd after racking up 21 points in 24 games. The timeframe for his recovery was 3-4 weeks, forcing the Leafs to place him on LTIR.
On the blueline, young defenseman Rasmus Sandin suffered a knee injury after a questionable hit from Jets defenseman Neal Pionk, who was suspended 2 games for the hit.
While many thought the hit could have been of the season-ending variety, Sandin was lucky enough to escape with a fairly minor injury. His timeline for recovery was also in the 3-4 week range.
In the case of Jack Campbell, he's been stellar this season for the Leafs, leading the NHL in Goals Saved above expected. He is also sporting a very tidy .937sv% and a stellar 1.94 GAA. The worry for the Leafs and their fans has been his workload. «1B» goalie Petr Mrazek has spent more time on IR than in the net for the Leafs, leaving Michael Hutchinson and Joseph Will to share backup duties.
Campbell entered this season never having played more than 31 games in a single season. If the Leafs want to make a playoff run, getting Jack Campbell a little bit of extra rest is key. A league wide pause could go a long way in keeping the team's starter healthy.
The Leafs are scheduled to play the St Louis Blues on Thursday, but that's if the NHL continues to play games up to the break. If they elect to pause the season, it might just be a good thing for our boys in blue.
