Leafs finally get some good news on Mitch Marner and Ilya Samsonov
After an embarrassing 6-3 loss on home ice last night in Toronto, the Maple Leafs are back on the ice on Wednesday for what the Leafs' coaching staff is calling a "skills session", rather than a traditional practice. The Leafs also had a pair of surprise attendees as Mitch Marner and Ilya Samsonov have finally re-joined the main group.
Marner and Samsonov were wearing grey jerseys on Wednesday, typically reserved for extras, so there's no guarantee that either player will suit up tomorrow against the Capitals, but just to see them both back on the ice with the rest of their teammates is certainly a step in the right direction.
Marner was originally injured back on March 7th during a game against the Boston Bruins, after a failed scoring attempt had caused him to twist his ankle in an awkward way while falling, causing a high-ankle sprain. Thankfully, the sprain was minor, but it has still caused him to miss the last 8 games.
Samsonov, on the other hand, was injured last Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers, needing to be helped off the ice and down the tunnel, leading fans to fear the worst for the number one goaltender. However, thankfully, Sheldon Keefe had confirmed over the weekend that the issue was believed to be minor and that Samsonov shouldn't miss much, if any, time at all.
With Joseph Woll's struggles against New Jersey last night, it shouldn't come as a surprise if we see Ilya Samsonov back between the pipes on Thursday against his former team, the Washington Capitals. The 27-year-old netminder told the media following today's skate that he's ready to play and that he's "pain free". Of course, Samsonov will still need to get the green light from the team's medical staff before he gets back in there.
| POLL | ||
MARS 27 | 358 ANSWERS Leafs finally get some good news on Mitch Marner and Ilya Samsonov Which injured Leaf is more vital to the team's playoff success? | ||
| Mitch Marner | 250 | 69.8 % |
| Ilya Samsonov | 108 | 30.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
