The Toronto Maple Leafs may have to turn in another direction for depth in their forward ranks.
Max Pacioretty suffered a lower-body injury Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets and was ruled out in the third period, the team announced.
After the Leafs’ loss, coach Craig Berube told reporters he’ll know more about the severity of the injury Wednesday, per David Alter of The Hockey News.
The 35-year-old scored his second of the season on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning in his return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two games.
Pacioretty suffered Achilles injuries in each of the past two years, forcing him to miss large chunks of the seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals, respectively.
The Leafs invited Pacioretty to camp on a professional tryout before he signed a one-year deal with the squad.