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Leafs' Murray to remain sidelined with ankle injury through All-Star break

Matt Murray Toronto Maple Leafs Matt Murray - The Canadian Press
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Head coach Sheldon Keefe held a media availability at Scotiabank Arena this afternoon. 


Matt Murray will remain sidelined through the All-Star Game and bye break due to an ankle injury. 

"There's something there that's going to require some time, for sure," Keefe said. "The length of time we won't quite know, really, until we come back from the break."

The Leafs play their final game before the break on Wednesday when they host the Boston Bruins. Toronto doesn't play again until Feb. 10 in Columbus. 

"We're not expecting it to be long-term," Keefe said. "We'll have further updates in a week or so."

Joseph Woll has been called up from the Toronto Marlies and will dress as the back-up goalie. He is 12-1-0 with a .928 save percentage in the American Hockey League. 

"He's been tremendously consistent, giving them a chance to win every night and at times being the reason why they're winning games," noted Keefe. "Since he's been healthy, he really hasn't missed a beat."

Woll was sidelined due to a shoulder injury to start the year. He also dealt with an ankle ailment this season. 

Darcy Kuemper starts for the Capitals. In his last game against the Leafs (Jan. 8, 2022 while with the Colorado Avalanche), he was pulled in the first period after allowing three goals on eight shots. 

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John Tavares will suit up in game No. 1,000 on Sunday. 

"The players organized a great moment for him and had his kids involved there this morning as part of our meeting," Keefe said. "A tremendous opportunity to acknowledge a great moment in our captain’s career. We think he’s got lots of hockey ahead of him here, but certainly to get to 1,000 games is not easy especially with the quality of those games he’s put in. A great opportunity for us to spend some time with him and to have his boys involved too was obviously important to him and cool to see."

Tavares will be the 25th player to play his 1,000th career game while with the Leafs and the first since Wayne Simmonds last season. 

"Looking at his numbers now, he's still able to really able to make an impact in the game with the way he can create and the way he plays the game offensively," said Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette. "Just a really good player for a long time. There’s players around the league that have done it consistently through their entire career and you look at those players and you’re impressed by what they do."

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The Leafs and Capitals will finish their season series on Sunday. The Leafs won 3-2 in Toronto in their home opener and the Capitals claimed a 5-2 win on home ice on Dec. 17. 

"It’s a deep team, certainly through their forward group, lots of experience," noted Keefe. "We saw them at their best when we were out in Washington. We saw what they’re capable of in terms of their forecheck and their pressure and some of the skill that they have to be able to make plays so because of that we know exactly what we’re in for in terms of the quality of opponent and the competition that they’ll bring tonight. We’ll have to be ready for the physicality, their forecheck, all that kind of stuff."

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During Sunday's game, the Leafs will pay tribute to former Mississauga, Ont., mayor Hazel McCallion, who passed away at the age of 101. 

"Certainly a great loss today, but what a life well-lived," said Keefe. "Leaves such a tremendous legacy certainly on the city of Mississauga, but I think for women, in particular, both in politics and in business. As somebody growing up in nearby Brampton and coming up through the OHL, the impact she made [in] minor and youth hockey and with the Mississauga IceDogs coming in, her presence and impact in growing the game was certainly felt by me. So, it's a great time for reflection and celebration of a life well-lived, but certainly sad news today."