Seven Maple Leafs Players Opt Out of Practice, Raising More Injury Concerns

The Toronto Maple Leafs are without seven players for the team's practice ahead of Friday's game against the New York Rangers.

Seven Leafs players, including Auston Matthews & Mitch Marner, are unavailable for Toronto's practice, along with five other players who aren't with the Leafs for their skate.

Not practicing are also William Nylander & Chris Tanev, both of whom are unavailable due to injury.

Tanev exited yesterday's game against Boston after an injury suffered in the first period.

As well, defensemen Morgan Rielly, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, & Jake McCabe are also not skating today for Toronto.

It's not known the reason for their absences, although Tanev is not a surprise given him leaving the Leafs's last game, as well as William Nylander who has what is being reported as a "minor injury" that likely would not keep him out of Toronto's next game against the Rangers.

According to Leafs head coach Craig Berube, Nylander's absence today in practice was planned regardless of his injury status.

Tanev is out day-to-day, Berube told reporters.

While it's understandable why Tanev & Nylander are not practicing for Toronto, it's unclear why the other five have been absent from the team for today.

For Matthews & Marner, it could be related to them returning from the highly intense Four Nations Faceoff, and could be a time off as the two are eased back into action after a physically demanding short-term tournament.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be lucky to have avoided serious injury to William Nylander & Chris Tanev, but the team still faces the unclear fact of having key members of their team not practicing regularly with an unknown reason as to why.

What will ultimately matter is the team being together for the next game, which looks to be likely with no serious injuries in the way.