Ondrej Kase has been out since March 19th, and by the sounds of it, the Buds are expecting that he will not be back any time soon. Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed today that Kase has a concussion and is "not close" to being ready to return to the lineup.
This is such a shame for the 26-year-old forward Czech winger. Kase has posted 27 points (14 goals and 13 assists) in 50 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. When healthy, Kase adds reliable secondary scoring from the middle of the lineup. He is a versatile player who can usually slot in anywhere up and down the lineup. He has a tenacity to his game, and has contributed on both the power play and penalty kill this season.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Kase has suffered a serious injury, making this all the more concerning. Four seasons ago, Kase scored 20 goals in 66 games for the Anaheim Ducks in what appeared to be his break out season. The following three seasons Kase only played a total of 88 regular season games due to a variety of injuries, which include but are not limited to concussions. Kase only played three games last season.
This off-season, Kase was a restricted free agent that did not receive a qualifying offer, allowing him to walk into unrestricted free agency. There, the Leafs signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.25 Million.
