Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock has confirmed that defenseman Nikita Zaitsev will not play in Game One against the Capitals on Thursday night.
Zaitsev suffered an upper-body injury against the Blue Jackets on Sunday.
Nikita Zaitsev will not play Game 1. Babcock says.
— David Alter (@dalter) April 12, 2017
With 4 goals and 32 assists this season, the 25-year-old Russian is an important contributor to the Leafs’ dynamic attack and the defense’s biggest ice-time-getter. Without him, the Toronto blue line looks a bit… scrambled.
Leafs D at practice
Gardiner-Polak
Rielly-Hunwick
Marincin-Carrick
Smith-Marchenko— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 12, 2017
Babcock also confirmed that goalie Freddie Andersen is good to go for Thursday. Andersen absorbed a hit by Pittsburgh’s Tom Sestito last week.
Headline photo: Claus Andersen
