Breaking: Huge update on John Tavares hours before Game 7.

Big news for the Leafs.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 2 years ago
Breaking: Huge update on John Tavares hours before Game 7.
Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/Zuma

The Toronto Maple Leafs have just been on the receiving end of some extremely good news.

For the first time since suffering a horrible injury in Game 1 of the Maple Leafs first round series against the Montreal Canadiens, Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has been spotted at practice wearing a regular jersey. Tavares has participated in skates with the Leafs since the injury but prior to today he was never wearing the teams regular colors at practice.

Teammate Joe Thornton expressed just how much having him out on the ice for practice means to the team.

"It's great. He's been around the last few days and in good spirits and he brings a lot to the group," said Thornton on Monday. "So to see him on the ice here and each and every day to be part of our meetings and things like that, it's huge for this group."


To be clear we do not know if he has been medically cleared to participate in Game 7, although I suspect given the media coverage surrounding his appearance at practice today some kind of announcement will be forthcoming from head coach Sheldon Keefe in short order.

Even if Tavares does not play, you have to imagine that this combined with the announcement today that a limited number of fans will be allowed to attend Game 7 will serve as a big morale boost for the Maple Leafs players competing in Game 7.

Stay tuned for more details.

Update: Jason Spezza has all but confirmed that Tavares will not play tonight.

"We all know how hard John works and how much he cares," said Spezza. "By us winning this game tonight, [it] gives him a chance to potentially come back and play. That's just another reason that we want to win this game today."

Update: Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that Tavares will not play.


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