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Maple Leafs' Zach Hyman to miss at least 2 weeks with MCL sprain

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman will miss at least two weeks after suffering a sprained MCL during Sunday's game against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed.

Hyman was on the wrong end of a dirty knee-on-knee collision with Canucks defenseman Alex Edler, and did not return to the contest. Edler was promptly suspended for two games as a result of the hit.

It's a tough loss for the Maple Leafs as Hyman has carved out his role as one of the NHL's best puck-retrieving specialists, and can be deployed on any of the team's top three forward lines. Hyman is in the middle of an excellent year, with 15 goals and 33 points in 43 games.

EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 1:  Zach Hyman #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during the game against the Edmonton Oilers on March 1, 2021 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman will miss at least two weeks due to a sprained MCL, suffered on a dirty hit from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alex Edler. (Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) (NHLI via Getty Images)

Several Maple Leafs players condemned the hit on Hyman post-game Sunday, including John Tavares, William Nylander and Auston Matthews.

Although Hyman's skill set is nearly irreplaceable, the near-consensus opinion that emerged is that it's a mild relief that the 28-year-old avoided a more serious injury.

Toronto will square off again versus Vancouver on Tuesday, where we'll bet that emotions are likely to be running high.

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