Maple Leafs F Tavares could return to practice this week
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Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares has resumed skating and could return to practice by the end of this week, head coach Craig Berube said Monday.
Berube added that forwards Matthew Knies and Max Pacioretty also skated on Monday as they work their back from injuries.
Tavares has not played since suffering a lower-body injury in practice on Jan. 16 and was ruled week-to-week and placed on injured reserve at that time.
The 34-year-old forward and former captain has 20 goals and 42 points in 43 games this season.
Tavares has been a revelation in his seventh season in Toronto after agreeing to give up the captaincy to Auston Matthews in the off-season. Before the injury, Tavares was pace to score his most goals in a season since his first with the Maple Leafs, when he scored 47 in 2018-19.
"He's consistently been himself the whole time I've been here," defenceman Jake McCabe said of Tavares after the injury. "Nothing's changed this year, just more of the same."
The Maple Leafs have a quiet week ahead, hosting the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.