Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman returns to the lineup after brief leave of absence
Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
With the Toronto Maple Leafs taking on the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, they need everyone to be healthy, including their defense, which is already on shaky ground.
Over the weekend, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost a defenseman to a leave of absence as Simon Benoit went home to deal with a personal matter.
As a result of Benoit's leave of absence, defenseman Philippe Myers came in to replace him. The defense was alright in Benoit's absence, although he was still missed.
On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing against the Florida Panthers, and this is a game the team will need to be fully healthy for.
With Brandon Carlo hitting a setback and Chris Tanev remaining out of the lineup, the Leafs got an update on Simon Benoit this afternoon.
Simon Benoit returns to the Toronto Maple Leafs
The defenseman was back on the ice in Florida today, which means he is probably getting back into the lineup against the Panthers.
As for the reason behind the leave of absence, it turns out that Benoit had to attend a funeral, which is always an extremely sad occurrence.
In 23 games this season, Benoit has had just two assists and zero goals. He also has a plus/minus of -2, and has struggled at times.
Regardless, he is someone who has become a core member of the defense, and there is no denying that he fits a very specific need for this Leafs team.
On Tuesday, he will be put to the test against the Florida Panthers, who are eager to show the rest of the NHL that they are still that team.
The Leafs are in a rut, and they need to win this game for morale reasons as well. A win could legitimize a potential playoff run.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 1 | 341 ANSWERS Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman returns to the lineup after brief leave of absence Do you believe Simon Benoit will have a big game against the Florida Panthers? | ||
| YES | 240 | 70.4 % |
| NO | 101 | 29.6 % |
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