Rumor: Marchenko out weeks with knee injury

It feels like the Maple Leafs just can't catch a break this season when it comes to the injury front. Toronto already had John Tavares on the shelf with no clear return date, and now they may have lost another key piece of their forward group after Monday night's game against the Calgary Flames turned ugly in the second period.

Kirill Marchenko, the 26-year-old winger who came over from Columbus in a blockbuster offseason swap for Matthew Knies, went down after getting tangled up with Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich. The fall was awkward, to say the least, with Marchenko's left leg splaying underneath him in a way that had fans wincing. He tried to stay in the play but was visibly favoring his knee as he made his way to the bench. The team officially ruled him out with a lower-body injury heading into the third period, and head coach Jim Hiller offered no update after the game.

What We Know So Far

While the Leafs haven't put a timeline on things yet, a well-known social media doctor who frequently breaks down hockey injuries offered some cautious optimism. Dr. Harjas Grewal suggested the injury is likely an MCL issue, but noted it appeared less severe than most. His estimated timeline ranged anywhere from day-to-day to two or three weeks, rather than the more typical four-to-six-week recovery that often accompanies MCL injuries.

Grewal also pointed out that the mechanism of the fall could stress the inside of the ankle, but based on where Marchenko was grabbing, the knee seems to be the primary concern. Obviously, this is an outside diagnosis and the Leafs' own medical staff will have the final say, but it's at least a sliver of good news for a fanbase that's been dealing with one injury blow after another.

Marchenko had been producing at a point-per-game pace before going down, racking up 14 points through his first 14 games as a Leaf, including six goals and eight assists. He had logged just over seven minutes of ice time and registered one shot before his night was cut short.

How Toronto Adjusts From Here

The timing is rough, but there is a silver lining for the Leafs. Dakota Joshua appears to be nearing a return, which would give Toronto some much-needed depth up front. His arrival could allow the team to shuffle things around, potentially sliding phenom Gavin McKenna up to the second line alongside Nick Paul and William Nylander while Joshua slots in on the third line with Colton Sissons.

A potential lineup without Marchenko could look something like Cowan, Matthews, and Roslovic on the top line, McKenna, Paul, and Nylander on the second, Joshua, Sissons, and one of Vinni Lettieri or Bo Groulx on the third, with Duhaime, Blueger, and MacEwen rounding things out on the fourth line. It's not ideal, but it's a group that can hold down the fort.

Joshua, who has been battling his own injury issues, should bring some physicality and offensive punch to a lineup that will sorely miss what Marchenko was providing. Still, losing a point-per-game player for any stretch is a significant hit, especially this early in the season when the Leafs are trying to establish themselves. Toronto will be hoping the diagnosis falls on the shorter end of that timeline, because the longer Marchenko is out, the more pressure falls on an already banged-up roster to keep pace in a competitive Atlantic Division.