Toronto Maple Leafs: Nikita Zaitsev Will Have to Wait for His NHL Playoff Debut, After Being Scratched from Game 1 With an Upper-Body Injury
Nikita Zaitsev was hoping to make his NHL postseason debut on Thursday. He was a bright spot for the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout the regular season and is an important player against one of the most stacked teams in the NHL, the Washington Capitals. Unfortunately, due to an upper-body injury, Zaitsev will miss Game 1.
Toronto Maple Leafs
This is the last thing the Maple Leafs needed.
The offense is certainly not a concern with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. Not to mention, they boast significant offensive depth with veterans Nazem Kadri and James van Riemsdyk. However, on the blue line, the Maple Leafs are not so confident.
Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner are big names but have yet to prove their abilities as legitimate top-level NHL defensemen. As it stands, Matt Hunwick and Roman Polak are the most experienced, and the more reliable, defensive presence. Martin Marincin and Connor Carrick are still very young but have proven their worth during the regular season.
Zaitsev was a physical presence with strong offensive instincts. his four goals and 32 assists rank ninth on the team in scoring, and his 176 hits rank fourth. He also leads the team in blocks with 136, and total time on ice (1805:32). Needless to say, Zaitsev has become a major contributor on the Maple Leafs blue line, and his absence will be felt tremendously.
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Looking ahead, the rest of the Maple Leafs blue line must step up. Zaitsev ate plenty of minutes and was very productive while on the ice. The Capitals boast plenty of offense and have the physical presence to control the game. They have plenty to prove and will look to make an example out of the Maple Leafs.
Hopefully, Zaitsev will return for Game 2, but if not, the Maple Leafs are in a heap of trouble.