Thursday night’s game against Dallas was Frederik Andersen’s first back off of LTIR after a neck injury. The way this curse on the Leafs works is that someone else had to go down:
This doesn't look good. Johnsson needs help limping to the locker room pic.twitter.com/eOBct00CqC
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 14, 2020
It wasn’t good as it turned out:
Maple Leafs forward Andreas Johnsson will not return to tonight’s game vs. Dallas due to injury (knee). #LeafsForever
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) February 14, 2020
The Leafs have been very cautious with players, so they might just be holding him out because they don’t take chances, but if we get further word, we’ll update you.
UPDATE:
The word is:
Andreas Johnsson's knee injury "is not going to be short term," according to Sheldon Keefe.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 14, 2020
So, welcome to the NHL permanently Pontus Aberg, I guess.
UPDATE #2, now even worse:
Sheldon Keefe says the injury to Andreas Johnsson will require surgery & will miss at least eight weeks
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 14, 2020
The tarnished silver lining:
There are 7.5 weeks left in the regular season.
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) February 14, 2020
If the #Leafs were to place Johnsson on LTIR, they could use the entire $3,400,000 in Salary Pool relief that it would provide, and not have to worry about the cap implications when he returns since there is no cap in the Playoffs. https://t.co/8ffyWkfMxG