What Happened
The Toronto Maple Leafs have upgraded John Tavares to day-to-day, the team announced Tuesday after he skated with the club for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury on Oct. 15 against the Buffalo Sabres. Tavares wore a red non-contact jersey in the session. He is not expected to return for Tuesday's game against the Utah Mammoth, with Saturday's home game against the Montreal Canadiens his next opportunity to play.
Key Details
- Tavares was injured Oct. 15 against Buffalo and has not played since.
- He skated Tuesday in a red non-contact jersey, his first skate since the injury.
- The team upgraded his status to day-to-day.
- He has two goals and five assists in seven games this season.
- He also missed one game earlier this season for the birth of his son.
- Toronto is 8-6-2, sixth in the Atlantic Division, entering Tuesday.
What It Means
Tavares returning to the ice in a non-contact jersey marks the first step toward a lineup return for a Toronto team sitting sixth in the Atlantic Division at 8-6-2. The 36-year-old has been durable in Toronto, missing 14 games over the past five seasons and playing all 82 last season, so his absence has been an unusual stretch for the club.
What's Next
Tavares is not expected to play Tuesday against Utah. Saturday's home game against Montreal is his next chance to return, though a non-contact jersey suggests he may need further progress first.