Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner is unavailable to play against the Calgary Flames. The team announced about half an hour before the game that their leading scorer wouldn’t play due to a lower-body injury. This is Toronto’s second game of their four meetings on their Western Conference road trip. They’re coming off a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
Maple Leafs F Mitch Marner is not available for tonight’s game and is day-to-day (lower body).
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) February 5, 2025
This will be the first game that Marner has missed all season long. He’s been Toronto’s best player, including in the eyes of Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev. Marner has 70 points in 52 games and he’s on his way to scoring 100 points in a season for the first time in his career. Furthermore, he leads the team in points with an 18-point lead over William Nylander.
Marner Out With Lower-Body Injury
Marner has been absent from the last two Maple Leafs practices with an ongoing lower-body injury. It is understood that this injury occurred when the Leafs played the Oilers. However, it came as a surprise to Marner’s teammates and head coach Craig Berube. Going into Toronto’s game against Calgary, the 27-year-old was listed as a game-time decision but couldn’t follow through to participate in the team’s 53rd game of the season.
His absence also raises concerns about his commitment to Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Canada’s first practice is on Monday, less than a week away. Just over a week ago, Vegas Golden Knights D-man Alex Pietrangelo withdrew himself from the tournament to treat an ailment, essentially for precautionary reasons. However, TSN’s Chris Johnston reported that Marner shouldn’t be in danger of missing the tournament as the team listed him as day-to-day.
The Maple Leafs are second in the Atlantic Division, two points ahead of the Ottawa Senators. Furthermore, they’re three points behind the Florida Panthers, who have played two more games than Toronto ahead of their game in Calgary. Last season, Toronto were 8-4-1 without Marner in the lineup.
Main Photo Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
