TORONTO — While injuries to key players already threaten to derail some playoff teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs are trending to full health for Game 1 this weekend.
Defencemen Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson and fourth-line centre David Kämpf — all of whom have been sidelined with undisclosed “upper-body” injuries — are trending toward getting the green light this weekend when the puck drops on the Battle of Ontario.
After that wounded trio participated in Thursday’s optional morning skate, head coach Craig Berube said he is “fairly confident” they will be available to suit up against the Ottawa Senators.
“I think they’re all in pretty good shape,” Berube said. “I feel pretty good about it.”
None of the three will participate in Thursday’s meaningless regular-season finale against the eliminated Detroit Red Wings, maximizing their recovery time before the postseason.
None has participated in a full-contact team practice since getting injured.
If those players do play Sunday, Ekman-Larsson will have been sidelined for 11 days, McCabe and Kämpf for 18 days. The suggestion here is that they might be pushing through something less than 100 per cent health.
Alas, such is hockey in April.
With no rested bodies coming in for relief, Toronto will dress the same skaters — including its star players — Thursday as it did for Tuesday’s division-clinching win in Buffalo.
Berube’s will clock his superstars’ minutes, though — and knock wood that everyone slips through 60 inconsequential minutes unbruised.
“Play the game,” Berube advised. “I mean, you can’t go out there and worry about it. You can’t go out there and be tentative. You gotta go and play the game. Hey, you can be smart. And my job is to manage the minutes.”
Maple Leafs projected lineup Thursday vs. Detroit Red Wings:
Knies – Matthews – Marner
Domi – Tavares – Nylander
McMann – Holmberg – Robertson
Lorentz – Laughton – Järnkrok
Rielly – Myers
Benoit – Tanev
Mermis – Carlo
