Coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed Monday that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan O’Reilly will feature on reserve for the long-term injury of a broken finger.
O’Reilly had surgery for the injury and is expected to miss the next four weeks from work. The schedule puts him on track to return before the Maple Leafs regular season ends on April 13.
Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was also ruled out of Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils due to an unspecified illness.
O’Reilly suffered the injury when he hit a ball with his hand during Saturday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks and left the Ice visibly upset.
Toronto’s standout deadline acquisition has scored three goals and five points in eight games with the Maple Leafs since it was acquired along with Noel Acciari in a deal with the St. Louis Blues. The veteran forward exploded to score a hat-trick against the Buffalo Sabers on February 21.
It would be a devastating loss for the Maple Leafs if O’Reilly was out for the long haul. The 32-year-old won a Selke Trophy and a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 and provides tremendous flexibility in the Leafs lineup, being able to play center or wing while excelling at point tackle and penalty shootouts. Toronto is going it all out this season and O’Reilly’s playoff percentages and two-way responsibility were the main reasons he was going after him so hard before the trade deadline.
O’Reilly played primarily Tavares, who moved to the wing in order to accommodate the Maple Leafs’ newest star, with Mitch Marner and William Nylander rotating on the right flank.
As a result of O’Reilly’s injury, the Maple Leafs recalled forwards Alex Stevies and Pontus Holmberg from the Toronto Marlies into the AHL, while goaltender Joseph Wall returned to the Marlies.
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