The Toronto Maple Leafs’ center Ryan O’Reilly is set to be out of action over the long term after he suffered a broken finger. Coach Sheldon Keefe revealed on Monday that O’Reilly has been put on long-term injured reserve, meaning that he will be out for a least 10 games.
O’Reilly will be eligible to return to the ice on March 29, when Toronto faces the Florida Panthers. Should he be able to return in time for this game, then there is still hope that O’Reilly will appear in the playoffs, which begin on April 17.
Since arriving in Toronto from St. Louis last month, O’Reilly has gelled quickly with the team, scoring five in his first eight appearances for the team. It was during last Saturday night’s 4-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks that O’Reilly took the puck to the hand that ruled him out of action.
In an effort to make the team more competitive, general manager Kyle Dubas signed six new players for the Maple Leafs during the trade window, among them O’Reilly. A 2019 Stanley Cup winner and Playoff MVP, O’Reilly was seen as a valuable source of experience to be added to the Leafs’ lineup.
