TORONTO -- Max Pacioretty is week to week with a lower-body injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced Monday.
The forward, who has six points (two goals, four assists) in 13 games, was placed on injured reserve after he took a hit from Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson and fell awkwardly in the slot late in the first period of a 4-1 win on Saturday.
“It’s going to be some time,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said. “He’s going to miss some time, but hopefully we can get him back in the not-too-distant future.
“It’s unfortunate. He’s been through a lot. I think he’s been a real good addition to our group and he’s had an impact in all the games he’s played in. The good news is to be honest leaving the rink on Saturday night, I thought it was going to be longer than the news we got here this morning. We will just have to see how he responds to treatment, but it’s going to be several weeks.”
Pacioretty signed a one-year, $873,770 contract with Toronto on Oct. 7 after being with the team on a professional tryout agreement. He tore his right Achilles for the second time while playing for the Carolina Hurricanes against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 19, 2023. He initially tore it during offseason training and had surgery Aug. 10, 2022.
“It’s bad enough, that’s for sure,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “That’s a loss. This guy was playing good hockey for us. A power forward with physicality and his ability to hang on to pucks in the offensive zone, score some goals and things like that, it’s unfortunate for him and us.
“I feel for him with the injuries he’s had over the last few years, but he will grind through it. He’s a worker, a very good pro and he’ll get back.”
Pacioretty previously missed one game, a 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 24, after sustaining a lower-body injury two days earlier during a 6-2 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets.
He primarily played left wing the past seven games on a line with center John Tavares and right wing William Nylander. Forward Bobby McMann skated in Pacioretty’s spot at practice Monday, but forwards Nylander and Max Domi did not participate due to maintenance.
Berube said he expects Nylander and Domi to play when the Maple Leafs host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN4, TSN5).
“We definitely have to mix it up a little bit,” Berube said. “Put somebody back in (Pacioretty’s) spot, somebody that’s a player of his caliber and type that we need on that line, so that’s just things we are going to have to tinker with a little bit and find the right fit.”
The status of forward Calle Jarnkrok, who has not played this season because of a lower-body injury, remains uncertain. Jarnkrok had 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 52 games for Toronto last season.
“It’s been slow. He had a setback over the weekend, so we are just going to reset here,” Treliving said. “He’s going to New York to a specialist today or tomorrow and we will see where it goes from there.”
