Injured Maple Leafs Duo Stun Fans With Surprise Practice Appearance
Monday's practice for the Maple Leafs saw the surprise return of not only one of their biggest game changers, but another who has been out for months.
This season Toronto has had a massive improvement on their blueline and it's led to their success so far. Adding Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jani Hakanpaa were big additions (both figuratively and literally) meanwhile the emergence of the other Leaf defenders has been a pleasant surprise.
The biggest improvement has been that of Jake McCabe, and no only has he earned himself a large contract extension earlier this season, but his pairing with Tanev has been one of the best in the League thus far.
McCabe and Hakanpaa have been dealing with injuries however, and the latter hasn't played in two months but on Monday, the team got both men back on the ice in a huge step forward toward their return.
Jake McCabe And Jani Hakanpaa's Return Sparks Hope
The Hockey News' David Alter reported on Monday at practice that both McCabe and Hakanpaa were seen on the ice.
TSN's Mark Masters also posted a video showcasing McCabe skating in a regular jersey doing some drills.
While it was a positive sign to see both men back, the team doesn't want to take any risks at least with McCabe as he left the ice before the line rushes began.
The return of both men on Monday signal hope for the Maple Leafs not just that they'll get their strong defensive corps back, but that they will have a lot more hope heading into the playoffs.
This season McCabe has arguably been Toronto's top defenseman, registering one goal and ten assists but has an incredible 68 blocks and 72 hits. He was injured after striking his head on the ice after a fight with Philadelphia's Garnet Hathaway.
Hakanpaa has only played in two games this season for Toronto, registering no points and had to undergo a procedure to fix his ailing knee that has given him trouble in the past.
