Speculation of Leafs Locker Room Illness Emerges After Concerning Game 4 Performance
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Maple Leafs have dealt with various random absences during Round Two against Florida, and one NHL analyst believes he knows the real reason why.
While Toronto looks to regain their series lead on the Florida Panthers, they have to deal with several injuries and unexplained absences throughout the entirety of Round Two.
Anthony Stolarz is out, we've seen several players leave mid-game, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson missed Tuesday's practice due to an illness.
It's that illness that leads one NHL analyst to think that perhaps he isn't the only one feeling sick, and that's the reason why the Maple Leafs were struggling the last couple of games.
Maple Leafs Dealing With Potential Widespread Sickness
According to Steve Dangle, diehard Maple Leafs fan and analyst, he believes that Toronto is dealing with something keeping them down, and it's looking like a potential illness:
I'm not giving them an excuse, but I'm convinced they're sick.
He explained further that is started with Anthony Stolarz vomiting on the bench in Game One, followed by several other absences thereafter:
Anthony Stolarz; we saw him throw up on the bench. That may just be the concussion, we don't know.
He then goes on to list Chris Tanev, Matthew Knies, and Calle Jarnkrok as three others who briefly left the game with no apparent injuries:
Chris Tanev; he left Game 3 for a few moments with no apparent injury and returned in a few minutes.
Matthew Knies left last night (Sunday) with no apparent injury and returned after a few minutes.
I don't remember if it was Game 3 or 4 but Calle Jarnkrok did the same. I think these guys are pooping and puking.
Matthew Knies left last night (Sunday) with no apparent injury and returned after a few minutes.
I don't remember if it was Game 3 or 4 but Calle Jarnkrok did the same. I think these guys are pooping and puking.
Dangle relented though that although they are dealing with an illness, they are going to come back stronger than ever:
I have faith that they are going to come back healthier and better for Game 5.
It certainly brings a good point to the fold; there wasn't really anything that caused any of those aforementioned players concern (minus Stolarz) and sometimes nature calls.
With Ekman-Larsson's absence being due to illness, as well as Matt Murray missing practice and not dressing the other day, it could be a good indicator that Dangle is more right than you'd think.
There's certainly also been a lot of "equipment issues" in the series, and it's curious as to what suddenly changed; did they leave all their stuff in Toronto?
Most likely no, so an illness is pretty much the only explanation and it would be a wild coincidence that three players all suffered some type of ailment, only to come back and be right as rain with no indication they were limping or slowed down.
So Dangle might be on the right track when he says he thinks the Maple Leafs are dealing with an illness, and are going to come back stronger than they have the last two games.
For everyone's sake, let's hope he's right.
| POLL | ||
MAI 13 | 950 ANSWERS Speculation of Leafs Locker Room Illness Emerges After Concerning Game 4 Performance Do you think the Maple Leafs are dealing with a locker room illness? | ||
| Yes | 532 | 56 % |
| No | 418 | 44 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
