New update on Oliver Ekman-Larsson after frightening exit leaves Leafs fans holding their breath
TSN's Darren Dreger reported that Oliver Ekman-Larsson's injury isn't as serious as it looks, and may end up trying to work through the pain to play on Saturday.
Thursday night's loss to the San Jose Sharks didn't just come with an 'L' on the scoreboard, but the team also lost another key player in Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who took a spill over Adam Gaudette and was in serious pain; unable to leave the ice on his own.
It was a huge blow to the Maple Leafs who are already without Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo, and Ekman-Larsson being out for any extended period of time is going to make things even more of an uphill climb than it has been.
But there might be a shining light at the end of the tunnel for Ekman-Larsson and the Maple Leafs.
Ekman-Larsson going to test injury on Saturday in surprising turnaround
TSN's Darren Dreger reports that news on Ekman-Larsson is positive, and depending on how he feels on Saturday, may try and work through the injury and play.
The news appears to be better than expected for OEL. See how he feels in the morning but, the veteran Dman may test his injury tomorrow and if he feels he can play, he will. Surprising considering the pain he was in when he left last nights game.
That's a genuine surprise for sure, as he could not make it off the ice under his own power, but it goes to show the type of player Ekman-Larsson is.
Why the Maple Leafs need Ekman-Larsson right now
Understanding that if he goes down, the team is at a massive disadvantage. He's dealt with his own injury issues previously, but has been remarkably durable over the last few seasons, and his willingness to fight through the pain shows a lot of heart.
But Toronto has to be careful with him, as they would love to have him on the ice but can't afford to rush him back and lose him again for an extended period of time. With Tanev and Carlo out, and their minor leaguers also feeling the injury bug; they don't have a lot of options.
This season, Ekman-Larsson has been one of the key contributors on offense, with 20 points in 30 games (4 goals, 16 assists) and a plus-7 in 20:42 TOI. He is only ten points away from surpassing last year's total, in roughly half as many games.
We will need to wait and see how Oliver Ekman-Larsson feels on Saturday but if he's avoided the worst, then it's a huge positive for a Maple Leafs team who needs all the good news they can get right now.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 12|847 ANSWERS New update on Oliver Ekman-Larsson after frightening exit leaves Leafs fans holding their breath Do you think Oliver Ekman-Larsson is going to play on Saturday vs. Edmonton? | ||
| Yes | 488 | 57.6 % |
| No | 359 | 42.4 % |
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