<p>The <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> have a couple of uncertainties on their blueline heading into the playoffs, as head coach Craig Berube announced that defensemen Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are dealing with upper-body injuries and are uncertain for Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Craig Berube says McCabe and OEL have upper-body injuries.  <br><br>In addition to McCabe, Ekman-Larsson has begun skating but Berube was non-commital about the player’s availability for Game 1 of the playoffs.<a href="https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BodogCA</a></p>— David Alter (@dalter) <a href="https://twitter.com/dalter/status/1912177832182096104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Both defenseman have been skating for the past couple of games, and are out on a day-to-day basis, but Berube wasn’t ready to nail down a specific time when they expect to be back, including Game 1 of their upcoming playoff series.</p>



<p>McCabe has missed the last five games after sustaining his upper-body injury late in the Leafs’ 3-2 win over the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/florida-panthers/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Panthers</a> on April 2nd. The Leafs have gone 4-1-0 in his absence.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="156"></div>



<p>McCabe has continued to produce at an increased level since joining the Maple Leafs, as his two full seasons with the Leafs thus far have seen his best results, including the 2 goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 66 games that he’s gotten this season.</p>



<p>Ekman-Larsson has missed the last two games with his upper-body injury. He was a late admission from Saturday’s lineup against the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/montreal-canadiens/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Montreal Canadiens</a>, forcing the Leafs to play with only five defensemen in the game. They went on to win the game 1-0 in overtime, as well as winning the other game Ekman-Larsson has missed with their 4-1 win over the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/carolina-hurricanes/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carolina Hurricanes</a>.</p>



<p>Ekman-Larsson is far from the elite defenseman that he was in his prime, but he’s still produced at a solid rate for  a fourth/fifth defenseman on the team, with 4 goals and 25 assists for 29 points in 77 games.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="151"></div>



<p>With both defensemen out of the lineup, Phillipe Myers and Dakota Mermis are expected to continue to replace them for the time being.</p>



<p>The Leafs currently sit in first in the Atlantic Division with a 50-26-4 record. They’ll have the opportunity to clinch the division on Tuesday either with a point in their game against the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/buffalo-sabres/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Buffalo Sabres</a> or with a <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/tampa-bay-lightning/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> loss of any fashion against the Panthers.</p>


Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16) celebrates his goal with defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) and defenseman Jake McCabe (22) in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena.