The Maple Leafs have recalled defensemen Cole McWard and Dakota Mermis from the Marlies as injuries keep piling up before a western road trip.
Leafs PR also announced that Marshall Rifai and Blankenburg are on injured reserve, according to Andre Leal.
Rifai is week to week with a lower-body injury, while Blankenburg is week to week with an upper-body issue.
This is officially a problem. Toronto now has more defensemen in the trainer's room than it can afford, and call-ups are only a stopgap.
It's like patching a leaky roof with the shingles you found in the garage. It holds for now, but nobody calls it a fix.
Rifai had just scored his first NHL goal in Columbus on Tuesday.
Troy Stecher scored the winner in Thursday's 5-4 victory over the Rangers, only the second goal by a Toronto defenseman this season.
#Leafs injury updates:
Chris Tanev (upper body, week-to-week) will travel with the team on the upcoming road trip
John Tavares (lower body, week-to-week) will not travel with the team
Nick Blankenburg is week-to-week with an upper body injury
Marshall Rifai is week-to-week with an lower body
Dakota Joshua is still on his conditioning loan with the Marlies
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Toronto Maple Leafs recall two defensemen and place two others on injured reserve
Tanev will travel with the team, though his injury status hasn't changed.
He's listed out until at least Oct 31 with an upper-body injury.
Tavares will not make the trip, and his status also remains the same.
He's listed out until at least Nov 27 with a lower-body injury.
The veteran forward has 7 points on a $4,389,280 cap hit.
He also sits at -5, with 4 of his points coming on the power play.
Sergei Bobrovsky was off the ice for a planned off-day, and he has 3 wins in eight appearances.
He sits at .895, while Anthony Stolarz is at .898.
Dakota Joshua is on a conditioning stint with the Marlies, where he had played one game, according to HockeyDB.
Toronto is 6-4-2 and has won three straight.
Auston Matthews leads the team with 18 points, including 2 game-winners.
The trip opens Saturday in Edmonton, then continues to Calgary and Seattle.
How long can Jim Hiller patch this blue line before management has to step in?
The Leafs are winning through the injuries for now. The schedule is about to find out how long that lasts.
Should the Maple Leafs make a trade for a defenseman before the road trip?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws discussed in Devils' Hellebuyck trade talks, Kevin Weekes reports
