Thursday brought positive news on the John Tavares injury front. A week after the Maple Leafs captain was hospitalized from a scary hit in Toronto’s playoff opener, Tavares returned to the ice, participating in the team’s morning skate at Scotiabank Arena ahead of Thursday’s Game 5 against Montreal.
While Tavares almost certainly won’t be in uniform for tonight’s game (he was wearing the customary gray “non-contact” jersey for Thursday’s morning session), the fact the 30-year-old is already back practicing a mere seven days after leaving the arena on a stretcher is beyond encouraging.
Tavares injured his knee and was also concussed during Toronto’s Game 1 loss last Thursday, the result of an open-ice hit levied by Canadiens defenseman Brian Chiarot. The Leafs forward was also clipped from behind by Corey Perry, who accidentally kneed Tavares in the head as he was falling down. The game paused several minutes as medics tended to Tavares, strapping him to a stretcher before transporting the former Islander to a local hospital, where he stayed overnight. Shortly after, the team announced Tavares would need at least two weeks to recover from his injuries.
Surprisingly, the Maple Leafs haven’t skipped a beat in his absence, winning three straight with a chance to close out Montreal with a victory Thursday night. Signed by Toronto in 2018 following a nine-year stint in New York (who drafted the Ontario native first overall in 2009), Tavares ranks 16th among active scorers in career goals (364) and 18th in total points (819).
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