Fans held their breath when Oliver Ekman-Larsson left against Vegas Thursday but his appearance at practice has given the Maple Leafs a huge sigh of relief.
Thursday night's loss for the Maple Leafs came with more than just one on the scoreboard as the team lost veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson after he was body-slammed to the ice by the Golden Knights' Jeremy Lauzon.
No call was made on the play, and Ekman-Larsson didn't touch the ice after heading to the dressing room as the injury bug seemed to hit the Maple Leafs where they needed it least - on the back end.
Ekman-Larsson returns to practice after scary collision
With John Tavares missing practice on Thursday things were already getting a little concerning but at least Toronto avoided a complete disaster as Ekman-Larsson appeared practicing alongside partner Troy Stecher on Friday afternoon:
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It was a surprise that Ekman-Larsson took the ice not only because it looked like it was a much more serious issue than it seemingly was, and the fact that Nick Blankenburg was slated to take over - and is sitting yet again.
OEL hasn't had the strongest start to the 2026-27 season, and while his defensive game has been pretty solid all things considered, he hasn't been that offensive catalyst and still hasn't scored a point yet this season.
If the Maple Leafs were worried about his health and wanted to ensure that he was rested and better prepared for the stretch ahead, then starting Blankenburg is a good idea. It would force Troy Stecher on his off side potentially, but it's worth a shot for the sake of keeping OEL healthy.
Toronto needs to be careful with OEL going forward
If John Chayka and Jim Hiller wanted to preserve Ekman-Larsson, either for trade purposes or keeping him around, then giving him time off is a must. He's already someone who has dealt with injuries before and while he's seemed to bounce back from most scares recently - he won't always be lucky.
There's a reason why the Maple Leafs signed Blankenburg off his PTO and the fact that he hasn't touched the ice yet is a little puzzling. It's early enough in the year to tinker, and still early enough as to not affect the chemistry that Stecher and OEL have built up. It's worth a shot seeing what he has to offer.
Toronto has relied heavily on Ekman-Larsson over the past two seasons and it might be that time is starting to take its toll on the veteran. Time is the ultimate equalizer and while OEL has extended his career more than anyone anticipated - he's still reaching the end.
So if the Maple Leafs want to keep him in the lineup this season while also keeping him healthy enough to continue his career post-Toronto then maybe just giving him a night off is worth not having him - and after last night deserves a break.
Should the Maple Leafs give Oliver Ekman-Larsson a night off against Carolina?
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