Important update on John Tavares, who was injured in Vegas on Monday
After taking a scary shot to the knee on Monday night against the Vegas Golden Knights, John Tavares did end up returning for the remainder of the game. However, the extent of the injury was uncertain. Head coach Sheldon Keefe had no update on the Tavares situation the day following Toronto's 3-1 loss to the Golden Knights.
The Tavares injury came from a point shot by Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin. As Tavares was doing what he does best, attacking the front of the net, he took a slapshot on the inside of his left knee where there was no padding. Immediately following the shot, Tavares fell to the ice releasing his stick to which he looked like he was in excruciating pain. For several minutes, Tavares had difficulty putting weight on his left leg, even being helped off the ice by Maple Leafs staff and players.
The injury looked severe, and Leafs fans were undoubtedly holding their breath. It seemed as if this was just another mishap of unfortunate luck for the Leafs and their fanbase. Tavares has arguably been their best player this season, posting 8 points through 7 games and leading the team in scoring. Furthermore, he looked to have been playing some of the best hockey in a couple of years, and it seemed as if this was just another Maple Leafs curse. The official report on the injury was a contusion, but JT appears to be recovering well with minimal issue.
Although this was very concerning, this may not be the case. As reported by David Alter and Luke Fox, two personnel covering the Maple Leafs, Tavares was back up and skating today at the Leafs practice.
His status for tomorrow's game versus the San Jose Sharks is uncertain, but Tavares, who did return in Monday night's game, seems to be okay just days after taking that nasty shot to the knee. Hopefully, Tavares' injury is not serious and can continue to add to his scorching hot start to the season.
From a fan's perspective, you can see Tavares's role and effect on the team. Losing him for an extended period of time would not reflect positively on the Maple Leafs group, which is already off to a slow start.
