Kirill Marchenko may be looking at an MCL injury after leaving the Maple Leafs' 5-2 loss in Calgary on Monday night.
Dr. Harjas Grewal weighed in after the game, writing that it's “likely MCL for Marchenko.”
The good news, if there is any, came next. “Looks less severe than most,” Grewal wrote.
He said he wouldn't be surprised by “a day-to-day to 2-3 week timeline instead of the usual 4-6 weeks.”
Grewal also noted the mechanism “can stress inside of ankle too,” but added that it “seems he grabbed his knee.”
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That lines up with what fans saw during the game. The Russian forward kept stretching his left lower leg between shifts.
Maple Leafs' four-game win streak ends in Calgary as injuries pile up
He tried to go back out after the awkward fall, but that shift didn't last. He finished with 7:05 of ice time.
The loss dropped Toronto to 7-5-2 and snapped its four-game win streak.
Marchenko's 14 points rank third on the team.
Four of his six goals have come on the power play, the most on the roster.
If Grewal's read holds, Toronto dodged the worst of it. But Jim Hiller shouldn't rush a knee in October for a road game in Seattle.
Playing on a sore MCL is like driving on a spare tire. It gets you home, but you don't take it on the highway.
John Tavares is already out until at least Nov. 27, and Chris Tanev isn't expected back before Oct. 31.
At $3,850,000, the 26-year-old is one of the best values in the lineup, which makes losing him sting even more.
So who fills the hole? Easton Cowan scored Monday and sits at 13 points, making him the first name on the list.
Seattle comes Wednesday, then Vancouver on Saturday. Until the Leafs confirm a diagnosis, every lineup decision on this trip comes with a question mark.
Should the Maple Leafs rest Kirill Marchenko for the entire road trip?
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