John Tavares Upgrades to Day-to-Day, Nearing Return for Maple Leafs
Chris Johnston reported that Tavares is skating in a non-contact sweater and his return is nearing.
is back on the ice in a non-contact sweater, which in hockey terms means he is officially allowed to sweat near his teammates again.
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, the center is now considered day-to-day. His return is nearing, which is massive news for a Toronto lineup that has spent the last few weeks held together by medical tape and pure vibes.
has been sidelined with a lower-body injury, leaving a glaring hole down the middle of the ice. Without him, the Leafs just split a tough West Coast swing, dropping a 5-4 game to the Seattle Kraken before bouncing back with a 4-2 win over the .
Surviving without your veteran center is one thing, but relying on depth guys to play top-six minutes is like asking your accountant to fix your plumbing. It might hold for a day, but eventually, the pipes are going to burst. Getting number 91 back stabilizes the entire rotation and puts everyone back in their proper weight class.
For anyone watching the odds, a day-to-day tag on a core piece like is the kind of update that makes sportsbooks pay attention. His official activation will immediately shift the moneyline and puck line for , especially given how heavily their power play relies on his net-front presence.
The Maple Leafs host the Hockey Club on Wednesday night. While might not suit up for that specific matchup, seeing him ditch the non-contact jersey is the final hurdle. Keep an eye on the morning skate to see exactly when he gets the green light.