The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without veteran forward Joffrey Lupul for the foreseeable future.
It was reported Friday evening that Lupul, 31, did not take the warm-up prior to Toronto’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and is now out indefinitely with a broken bone in his right hand, suffered in a fall yesterday at practice, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.
Joffrey Lupul finished practice yesterday. He had an x-ray in Columbus this morning and found out about the broken bone in his right hand.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 31, 2014
Lupul apparently stepped on a stick at practice and fell on his hand. He was able to finish the workout and hoped to play tonight. (1/2)
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) October 31, 2014
“Kind of shocked right now,” said Lupul, as per Mark Masters of TSN.
“I don’t know what to say, really. It’s tougher mentally than it is physically,” added Lupul.
Leafs general manager David Nonis also spoke about the Lupul injury.
“He finished practice. It wasn’t something that jumped out as a major injury,” said Nonis, as per the Toronto Star. “It’s significant enough to keep him out for a little while.”
Prior to the injury, Lupul had been dealing with his share of struggles offensively. He had gone his last five games without registering a point.
Meanwhile, the Leafs sit seventh in the Atlantic Division, looking to separate themselves from the Florida Panthers. Both teams, entering Friday’s action, were stuck with nine points.
According to Jonas Siegel of TSN1050, Carter Ashton, who has been a healthy scratch for the first nine games of the season, appears set to make his season debut for the Leafs.