Report: Zaitsev still not close to returning

Unless something big happens, don’t expect the blue line uncertainty to be solved in Toronto…

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Report: Zaitsev still not close to returning
Keystone Press

According to a report from Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, injured Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is still not close to returning to the team’s lineup from a suspected broken foot. In fact, the soonest he could be back on the blue line is January 16th’s game against the St. Louis Blues

After Sunday’s 6-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, where the Leafs defence corps played particularly poor, head coach Mike Babcock said he does not expect Zaitsev to be back until after the team’s five-day break which begins January 10th. A quick scan of the Leafs’ schedule indicates that the earlier he could return then would be the 16th, the final game of a six game home stand. 

The departure of Zaitsev has hit the team hard the past two weeks and no one is feeling it more than his usual defence partner Jake Gardiner. The smooth skating, 27-year-old Gardiner has looked lost at times without his more defensively sound half and, as a result, has often been scooping pucks out of his own net with regularity. Here’s hoping Zaitsev can make it back into the lineup sooner rather than later.

Source: Lance Hornby