The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed forward Max Pacioretty on injured reserve after he sustained a lower-body injury during Saturday’s win over the Montreal Canadiens, the franchise announced Monday.
Pacioretty appeared to injure his left hamstring following a cross-check from defenseman Mike Matheson. The Leafs have listed the veteran as “week-to-week” to make his return and he is not expected back for several weeks.
The initial outlook on Pacioretty’s injury was concerning and expected to be even worse than it has turned out to be, even if it will require a stint in IR.
Leafs GM Brad Treliving acknowledged the potential severity and feared the worst last weekend. “It’s unfortunate.
He’s been through a lot,” Treliving said on Monday. “I think he’s been a real good addition to our group and he’s had an impact in all the games he’s played in.
“The good news is, to be honest, leaving the rink on Saturday night, I thought it was going to be longer than the news we got here this morning.”
This latest setback, expected to last “several weeks” in the words of Treliving, is particularly disheartening for the 35-year-old.
That’s because of Pacioretty’s past dealing with significant injuries, including undergoing multiple Achilles surgeries within months.
Pacioretty joined Toronto on a veteran’s minimum one-year deal at the end of the preseason to add depth to the Leafs’ lineup. So far this season, he’s scored 6 points in 13 games.
Toronto will return to the ice on Tuesday before playing again on Wednesday, and they are expected to be without team captain Auston Matthews as he completes a full recovery from an upper-body injury.
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