The Toronto Maple Leafs were unlucky on Saturday evening.
Defender Ilya Lyubushkin failed to finish his first game with the Queen City team.
The 29-year-old guard left the game against the New York Rangers in the second period, just two days after the three-team trade between the Leafs, Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes.
Lyubushkin was injured while blocking a strong check from the Rangers' new big man Matt Rempe. The latter was not punished during the sequence.
In a press conference following the Maple Leafs' 4-3 shootout win, head coach Sheldon Keefe said he believed Rempe traveled “a long distance” before hitting his player and that his feet hit the icy surface during the hit. had left”.
Lyubushkin walked through the Leafs' locker room after the game and his teammate Ilya Samsonov said he had a “head injury” but not “that bad.”
The Russian defenseman is in his second stint with the Leafs after wearing their jersey for 31 games in 2021-2022. In 56 games this season – 55 with the Ducks and one with the Maple Leafs – Lyubushkin has collected four assists and maintained a -13 differential.
The Toronto team will return to action on Monday night when they visit the Boston Bruins at Scotiabank Arena.