Injuries keep piling up for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they battle for playoff positioning down the stretch.
On Monday, the team announced it will be without forward Frederik Gauthier for the next two games due to a foot injury. Toronto plays back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday in Nashville and Buffalo, respectively. Gauthier is expected to be re-evaluated Thursday.
Leafs forward Frederik Gauthier (foot) will not travel with the team for the next two games in Nashville and Buffalo and will be re-evaluated on Thursday. #LeafsForever
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) March 18, 2019
When Gauthier actually got injured is unknown as his TOI was 10:40 — only the 12th time all season he played more than 10 minutes — and skated the last shift of Saturday's game in Ottawa. In 62 games this season, the 2013 first-round pick has 12 points (three goals, nine assists).
With Gauthier out of the line-up, Nic Petan was slotted into his spot as the center of the fourth line at Mondy's practice.
Lines at Leafs practice
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 18, 2019
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen
Moore-Petan-Brown
Ennis
Rielly-Hainsey
Muzzin-Zaitsev
Marincin-Ozhiganov
Holl
Andersen
Sparks
The one positive at practice was the return of Kasperi Kapanen to practice. Kapanen had missed the last four games with a concussion. Still out are defensemen Travis Dermott (shoulder) and Jake Gardiner (back); both are listed as week-to-week.
Toronto has 10 games left on the schedule and currently sit in third place in the Atlantic Division trailing Boston by four points in the battle for home-ice advantage.