The struggling Toronto Maple Leafs were dealt more injury problems during Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
Forward Jack Roslovic was a late scratch and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury while forward Colton Sissons left the game after two periods with a lower-body injury.
Head coach Jim Hiller provided an update on Roslovic following the game, saying the winger wanted to play initially.
“He wanted to play. He said, ‘You know what, I’ll be alright. I think I can do it.’ And then he was just unable,” said Hiller. “It was a hard one to gauge.”
The 29-year-old Roslovic has played well in his first year with the Maple Leafs, scoring eight goals and 10 assists over 18 games as a linemate of captain and fellow American Auston Matthews.
Sissons, 33, has two goals and four assists over 18 games.
Both Roslovic ($4 million AAV) and Sissons ($4.25 million AAV) are playing on two year contracts.
Veteran defencemen Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev both missed the game as well.
Rielly suffered a lower-body injury during Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens while Chris Tanev was absent due to a planned maintenance day.
Winger Kirill Marchenko hasn’t played since Oct. 26 when he suffered a lower-body injury against the Calgary Flames.
“We’re banged up. Guys gotta look in the mirror and ask a little bit more of themselves and take on a little bit more,” said Matthews. “What we do with this, you know, I hope it’s something that can kind of propel us forward and bring us a little bit closer together.”
The Maple Leafs have dropped five of their last six games and are now 8-9-2 on the season, sitting second last in the Atlantic Division with 18 points in 19 games.
They’ve dropped the opening three games of their six-game road trip in regulation with contests against the Colorado Avalanche (Tuesday), Minnesota Wild (Thursday) and Edmonton Oilers (Saturday) remaining.