The Toronto Maple Leafs are being very careful with 19-year-old rookie Mitch Marner, who has missed three straight games with an apparent right shoulder injury. He was retroactively placed on the IR Tuesday as the team called up Frederik Gauthier.
The Maple Leafs cancelled team practice Wednesday, but Marner took the ice for the first time since he sustained the injury in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets last Wednesday, when he fell awkwardly into the boards.
Marner was joined on the ice Wednesday by Alexey Marchenko, Martin Marincin, Ben Smith and Curtis McElhinney.
Although this is a good sign for Marner, Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock ruled him out of Thursday’s game against the New York Rangers.
On Tuesday, Babcock referred to Marner’s situation as something that usually means the player is out for at least 10 days. Saturday would mark 10 days since Marner became injured.
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