As for Mitch Marner, you’re going to have to continue to be patient, Leafs Nation.
Rielly has missed the past four games with an upper-body injury and, though the Leafs’ blue-line crew has been able to hold it together through numerous injuries, of course the club will welcome back the player who annually leads the team in ice time.
Marner has been out since March 7 with a sprained ankle and Keefe has spoken of the desire to get the star winger through another full practice before inserting him into game action.
The Leafs were slated to practise fully on Tuesday before Keefe decided to call it off in order to give his players a rest.
Marner did skate at the Ford Performance Centre with a handful of teammates, but arduous drills were not the order of the day. Marner has missed the past 11 games.
“We’re just going to feel it out and talk to him and likely make it more of a target for the weekend,” Keefe said of Marner’s return.
That would put Marner in line to play in Montreal against the Canadiens on Saturday. After a scheduled day off on Thursday, the Leafs are slated to practise on Friday before flying to Montreal.
Back to Rielly, who didn’t want to discuss the nature of his injury, which he suffered on March 24.
“I feel good,” Rielly said. “It’s just about trying to make sure you’re right for the playoffs. It’s challenging (to get up to speed without a lot of recent practice time).
