Berube confirms the worst for Oliver Ekman-Larsson: Leafs really in trouble now

The Toronto Maple Leafs were dealt a double-edged sword on Thursday night, as they not only lost the game in overtime to the San Jose Sharks, but also saw Oliver Ekman-Larsson leave the game due to an injury.

Ekman-Larsson left the game in the third period when he collided with Sharks forward Adam Gaudette along the boards. The Swedish defenseman stayed on the ice for a bit before being helped off, but was unable to put any weight on his leg.

The Leafs ruled him out with a lower-body injury and head coach Craig Berube confirmed the worst after the game, essentially indicating that an absence is likely.

Berube also mentioned that he will be re-evaluated shortly to determine his status, but it doesn't sound promising. Any absence would be a massive blow for the Maple Leafs, who are already without the services of Brandon Carlo and Chris Tanev.

With Ekman-Larsson sidelined, the Leafs had to push through with 5 defensemen, which included the debutant in Henry Thrun. If Ekman-Larsson does miss time, the Leafs will have to continue using Thrun as well as bringing back Philippe Myers after his short stay in the press box as a healthy scratch.

The 34-year-old was enjoying a solid season thus far with 4 goals and 20 points in 30 games played. He was averaging 20:57 TOI per game, was playing power play minutes, and had even dished out 40 hits on the season, providing a lot of intangibles for a battered back-end.

The Maple Leafs blew a 2-1 lead late in the third period before falling in overtime, 3-2. They will look to get back in the winning column, hopefully with Ekman-Larsson in the lineup, Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers.