Toronto Maple Leafs: Travis Dermott’s shoulder injury a concerning scenario

The Toronto Maple Leafs got some tough news regarding Travis Dermott after he injured his shoulder falling into the boards against the Edmonton Oilers

While the Toronto Maple Leafs came away with a big win against the Edmonton Oilers, defenceman Travis Dermott was forced to leave Wednesday’s game after going hard into the boards late in the third period.

Dermott landed awkwardly after being shoved into the boards by Brad Malone (who was not assessed a penalty). The defender immediately headed to the locker room and you knew it was serious based on his reaction. He was diagnosed with a shoulder injury and the team announced that he would not return.

At the start of his postgame press conference, head coach Mike Babcock said that Dermott would be week-to-week.

Dermott was the second Leafs defenceman to be ruled out long-term on Wednesday, as the team also announced that Jake Gardiner is considered week-to-week with a back injury. The 22-year-old has solidified a role with the Leafs in his second professional season, posting four goals and 17 points while logging 17:18 of ice time per contest in 59 games this year.

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Toronto would go on to beat their Canadian rivals 6-2 in what was hyped up to be a big showdown between Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. Dermott finished the game with two shots, a hit, and a block in just over 17 minutes on the ice.

The Leafs have a quick turnaround as they play the second half of a back-to-back against the New York Islanders at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Thursday night. Igor Ozhiganov got into his first game action since Jan. 23 against the Oilers, but he will sit in favour of Justin Holl for the matchup with the Isles.

In a corresponding move, the team recalled Martin Marincin from the AHL’s Marlies. Marincin, 27, has featured in 10 games with the Maple Leafs this season, but has failed to register a point. He will be paired alongside Holl, Babcock said.

The Marlies have also gone through some injury woes on the blue line. Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren have missed time with injuries this season, while both Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman are both currently out of action. The latter two could’ve stepped in if they were at 100 percent.

For the Leafs, it’s obviously a big loss. They’ll be without two of their top defenders for a stretch that includes games against the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Marincin will be joining the team after playing a day game with the Marlies on Wednesday, while Holl has played just two games all year – the last of which came on Dec. 23 versus Detroit.

Babcock will be forced to play Jake Muzzin in the top four, while 37-year-old Ron Hainsey could be asked to log more minutes as a result of the forced changes.

The Leafs already had question marks on the back end following the trade deadline, when all their defenders were healthy. Now, they’ll have to navigate a crucial stretch of the season without two of their biggest contributors on the blue line.

How do you think the Leafs will fare without Dermott and Gardiner in the lineup? What do you think their record will look like once they return? Let us know in the comments below.