Updates on Muzzin, Lyubushkin and Holl from the Leafs' morning skate; two will sit, one will play
Reports from the Leafs' morning skate on Thursday give us a pretty good indication that the Buds have avoided any serious issues when it comes to the health of defenders Justin Holl and Ilya Lyubushkin after both players were forced out of Tuesday's game against Boston and kept out for precautionary reasons.
After taking a puck to the head in front of the Leafs' net on Tuesday, Holl was leaking blood all over the ice, which was very concerning. A short time after departing, the team had announced that Holl would not be returning and that the Leafs would play the remainder of the game with 5 defenders.
The Leafs' blueline hardships only intensified after Bruins forward Taylor Hall delivered a stiff sucker punch to the side of the head of an unsuspecting Ilya Lyubushkin, who required assistance to make his way off the ice. Like Holl, Lyubushkin was also pulled from the game as a precaution, knocking the Leafs down to four blueliners.
Thankfully, both players were able to take to the ice on Thursday. Crisis averted? Well, we don't know just yet, but their presence on the ice this morning is certainly a positive sign. It does appear, however, that Lyubushkin will be held out of the lineup on Thursday against the Jets, skating on his own prior to the rest of the team. Carl Dahlstrom appears likely to play alongside Timothy Liljegren on the team's third pair, with Giordano sliding up to play with Holl and Brodie sliding up to take Lyubushkin's spot alongside Morgan Rielly on the top pair.
In addition, the Leafs also had Jake Muzzin on the ice on Thursday. He appears very close to a return after taking the entire skate with the team. If Muzzin can make it back into the lineup within the next week here, it will give him about a dozen games to get up to speed before the playoffs begin.
| POLL | ||
MARS 31 | 314 ANSWERS Updates on Muzzin, Lyubushkin and Holl from the Leafs' morning skate; two will sit, one will play Who are the Leafs' most likely scratches when Muzzin and Sandin return? | ||
| Sandin and Liljegren | 112 | 35.7 % |
| Holl and Sandin | 106 | 33.8 % |
| Holl and Muzzin | 69 | 22 % |
| Muzzin and Liljegren | 27 | 8.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
