Updated: John Tavares out three weeks with an upper body injury

If there is a time of the year to have a surplus of injuries it’s probably the preseason, but the Leafs are now facing another injury to a key player that they want to test some future linemates with.

The day to day aspect certainly points to this not being something that requires us stressing over it, but it certainly doesn’t help answer one of the most critical questions coming into training camp and that is who will be playing with John Tavares this season.

Recent line rushes had Malgin and Nylander skating with Tavares, and with Tavares out the two wingers were reunited with Pontus Holmberg who centered them in the early days of camp and in the first preseason game. Not a bad opportunity for Holmberg, and potentially a good opportunity for Alex Kerfoot as well, as he might see an opportunity to work with Malgin and Nylander in the future as well.

Tavares joins Jake Muzzin, Pierre Engvall, and Timothy Liljegren as the other significant Leafs injuries, with Mikhail Abramov and Joseph Woll as being unavailable.