One week ago, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan O'Reilly underwent surgery for a broken finger he suffered on a shot block against the Vancouver Canucks.
The 32-year-old was placed on long-term injured reserve and while at the GM meetings in Florida, Toronto's Kyle Dubas issued a very positive update on O'Reilly's status.
Dubas told reporters that they expect O'Reilly to return to the Maple Leafs' lineup before the start of the playoffs. He went on to add that the team was fortunate because the type of break O'Reilly suffered on his finger wasn't as severe, which will allow him to play sooner than expected.
The Clinton (Ontario) native was the Maple Leafs' biggest acquisition ahead of the trade deadline, being dealt to Toronto from the St. Louis Blues along with
Noel Acciari. In eight games so far with Toronto, O'Reilly has five points (three goals, two assists), two penalty minutes and is a plus-one.
If all goes well and O'Reilly's recovery sticks to the original four-week timeline the Maple Leafs announced last week, he could potentially return to the lineup on Tuesday, April 4th against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
