UPDATE-5:30PM: Fraser has been placed on injured reserve and was diagnosed with a hamstring injury. The Leafs have not indicated the length that the blueliner will be out of the lineup, but it virtually guarantees that Rielly will be in the lineup on Saturday.
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The Maple Leafs got a well-deserved day away from the rink on Thursday, after road victories on consecutive nights in Montreal and Philadelphia, but an injury to defenseman Mark Fraser in third period of Wednesday night’s 3-1 victory over the Flyers could hasten the NHL regular season debut of rookie defenseman Morgan Rielly.
Fraser was injured when former Leaf Jay Rosehill rammed the defenseman into the boards after high-sticking Flyers pest Zac Rinaldo, which drew the wrath of enforcer Colton Orr, who cross-checked Rosehill for his hit.
The Leafs defenseman served the penalty and skated to the Toronto bench, but did not play the remainder of the game and was seen leaving the Wells Fargo Center after the game on crutches and will have him visit the club’s medical staff sometime today.
The extent of Fraser’s injury puts into question the Leafs defensive lineup for their home opener against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. It is likely that Rielly, who played well during the exhibition schedule and made the club, will play his first NHL game at the Air Canada Center, where head coach Randy Carlyle can take advantage of the last change and match up the 19-year-old against the Senators third or fourth lines, rather than putting him head-to-head against the likes of Jason Spezza or Bobby Ryan.
Carlyle has some concerns on defense, as defensemen Paul Ranger and Jake Gardiner struggled on Wednesday.
The veteran Ranger, who played his second game after more than three years away from the NHL, took two minor penalties and tripped Wayne Simmonds, giving the Flyers forward a penalty shot with three seconds in the second period.
Gardiner was primarily responsible for two goals in Montreal on Tuesday night and saw limited ice time in the third period in Philadelphia, seeing just under 14 minutes of ice time for the game.
If Fraser is out for an extended period of time, it may force GM Dave Nonis to recall either John-Michael Liles or possibly Andrew MacWilliam from the AHL Toronto Marlies.
Both blueliners practiced at Ricoh Coliseum Thursday morning, as they prepared for their season opener Saturday afternoon against Grand Rapids, but any call up may not happen immediately, since the Leafs have six healthy defensemen available for the game, the Marlies are just down the road and their salary cap situation is extremely tight.
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