Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly out 8 weeks with broken foot

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly will be out at least eight weeks after breaking his foot in a 8-4 loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

Hurt in 8-4 road loss Florida on Sunday, prospect Rasmus Sandin recalled from AHL

Joshua Clipperton · The Canadian Press · Posted: Jan 13, 2020 1:47 PM EST | Last Updated: January 13, 2020

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly suffered a broken foot in Sunday's loss to the Florida Panthers. (Associated Press)

The Toronto Maple Leafs have dealt with a number of significant injuries this season.

Now add Morgan Rielly's name to the list.

The Leafs announced Monday their star defenceman will be out a minimum of eight weeks with a fractured foot suffered in an ugly 8-4 road loss against the Florida Panthers.

Rielly blocked a shot in Sunday's first period and hobbled towards the dressing room, but managed to finish the game. Teenage blue-liner Rasmus Sandin was called up from the American Hockey League in a corresponding move.

The Leafs said Rielly, who underwent a CT scan Monday afternoon, would be placed on injured reserve and reassessed in early March.

PLAYER STATS: Morgan Rielly

Toronto has been without the services of forwards John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Zach Hyman, Alexander Kerfoot, Andreas Johnsson, Trevor Moore and Ilya Mikheyev, along with defencemen Travis Dermott and Jake Muzzin, at various points already this season.

Periodic struggles

Johnsson returned to the lineup against Florida, but Moore, Mikheyev and Muzzin remain on the shelf.

The 25-year-old Rielly has struggled at times after a standout 2018-19 season that saw him register career highs in goals (20), assists (52) and points (72).

WATCH | Leafs embarrassed by Panthers:

Game Wrap: Huberdeau sets Panthers franchise points mark in rout of Maple Leafs

5 years ago

1:49

Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist in the Panthers 8-4 win over the Maple Leafs, passing Olli Jokinen for the franchise lead with 420 career points.

The Vancouver native, who's been dealing with an unspecified and unrelated nagging injury much of the season, has three goals and 27 points in 46 games. He's put up 54 goals and 270 points in 516 regular-season games to go along with 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) in 20 playoffs contests.

Panthers make meal of Leafs as Jonathan Huberdeau becomes Florida's career points leader

The Leafs have been without Muzzin, another top-four defenceman, since he broke his foot on Dec. 27. The team said at the time 30-year-old was listed as week-to-week, but he was placed on IR before Sunday's loss when Johnsson was activated.

Productive in minors

Based on the injury timeline, Rielly will miss at least 23 games, with a potential return date set for March 10.

Sandin, 19, made his NHL debut Oct. 2 and registered two assists in six games with the Leafs before getting sent down.

PLAYER STATS: Rasmus Sandin

TEAM PAGE: Toronto Maple Leafs

In 21 contests with the AHL's Toronto Marlies this season, Sandin has two goals and 15 points, including three assists over the weekend.

The Maple Leafs on Monday recalled top defence prospect Rasmus Sandin from the AHL. The 19-year-old had three assists on the weekend for the Toronto Marlies after shining for Sweden at the recent world junior hockey championship. (Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

The 29th pick at the 2018 NHL draft led all blue-liners with three goals and 10 points in seven games at the recent world junior hockey championship to help Sweden win bronze.

Sandin was named the under-20 tournament's top defenceman and also received an all-star nod in the Czech Republic.

The Leafs, who have given up 17 goals in their last three outings, open a three-game homestand Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils.

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