Woll and Tavares add to the litany of injuries that seem to be piling up for the Maple Leafs this young season, with names such as Calle Jarnkrok, Fraser Minten, Jani Hakanpaa, and Connor Dewar among the wounded. The timeline for Woll's injury is unknown however head coach Craig Berube was hopeful that he at least would be back soon, seeing as Woll improved the past few days.
However, it was a different scene at practice on Monday as the Maple Leafs were without Woll as well as forward John Tavares this morning:
The vagueness behind Woll's 'lower-body tightness' could mean anything from a pulled muscle to a partial tear; we have no clue yet. It's worrying that the goaltender hasn't been seen skating, and having only played partially in the preseason, some wonder if Woll is ready to take back the #1 spot when he returns. Woll also has an injury history, and there's no telling if he re-aggravated anything or if there are any underlying issues.
Tavares' absence was less surprising, given he was already out for Saturday's game vs. Pittsburgh and is still dealing with whatever illness he's got. No word on whether or not Tavares will be ready for the game against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, but the Maple Leafs could use all the help they can muster to keep riding the wave of momentum slowly building up.
Head coach Craig Berube has some options to work with when it comes to replacing Woll while he's injured, but losing Tavares is just as important given the way he controls the game; it's one of the key factors to the Maple Leafs' success.
POLL | ||
Should Toronto be concerned about the long-term health of John Tavares and Joseph Woll? | ||
Yes, clearly there is something wrong | 259 | 56.7 % |
No, it's normal and part of the game | 198 | 43.3 % |
List of polls |