The forward was injured during a
3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday
.
"When I fell I felt a snap in my ankle," Marner said Tuesday. "I think that's why I was expecting when I looked back for my ankle to be facing the wrong direction."
Marner had an MRI on Sunday, when Toronto lost 5-4 at the Chicago Blackhawks, and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, the Maple Leafs said in a statement.
"Really disappointed for Mitch, disappointed for our hockey team," coach Mike Babcock said. "In saying that, someone else is going to get an opportunity. As coaches, we've got to figure it out. We have to get our lines -- I mean, we had a different line for each period [against Chicago] -- we have to get our lines right to maximize the group we have and get the right people in the right spots."
Marner fell awkwardly after getting tangled up with Flyers forward Carsen Twarynski off the opening face-off of the second period. After trying to skate, Marner slid across the ice on his knees before his teammates helped him into the bench.
He played one more shift but again fell, this time on his own, before leaving at 1:57 to go to the locker room.
Marner returned to the ice during a TV timeout with 9:34 left in the second to test his ankle, but he went back to the locker room without playing a shift.
"Other guys have to step up," center Auston Matthews said following the loss in Chicago. "He's a big part of this team. He plays some key roles, special teams, 5-on-5. He's a special player. He's going to be missed, obviously, but those things happen. We have to move on without him. We have to have guys who come in and play a bigger role here for the time being, got to step up and capitalize on their opportunities."
Jason Spezza, who was a healthy scratch the previous three games, took Marner's place in the lineup against the Blackhawks and was minus-2 in 9:00.
Marner is second on the Maple Leafs with 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 18 games.
NHL.com correspondent Dave McCarthy contributed to this report
