John Tavares' Recovery Progress

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares remains sidelined as he recovers from an illness, sitting out practice this past Monday. Coach Craig Berube indicated that Tavares is close to making his return, although he wasn’t quite ready for today’s session. Tavares missed the team's impressive win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, with Bobby McMann and Steven Lorentz stepping into the lineup in his absence.

Tavares' Ice Time and Performance

This season, Tavares has undergone a noticeable change; he has relinquished the 'C' from his jersey and is seeing a reduction in ice time, averaging around 17 minutes in the early part of the season. This drop reflects a continuing trend from previous years, where he averaged 18 minutes of ice time over the last four seasons and 19 minutes in his initial two years with the Leafs. Despite these changes, the 34-year-old remains a potent scorer, finishing last season with 29 goals and 65 points over 80 games—an impressive point-per-game pace. He has already accumulated 420 points in 442 games with the Maple Leafs, a notable feat that includes a personal best of 88 points recorded in the 2018-19 season.

Joseph Woll's Return to Practice

In related news, goaltender Joseph Woll made a positive step in his recovery, returning to the ice before the team’s formal practice. Berube announced that Woll could participate in practice as soon as tomorrow. The 24-year-old was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury earlier this month but is now making strides towards regaining his starting goalie role. While Woll works back from injury, Dennis Hildeby and Anthony Stolarz will be responsible for protecting the net for the time being.

Eastern Conference Updates

Additionally, other updates from the Eastern Conference include a variety of player performances and team standings as the NHL season unfolds, with fans eager to see how the landscape shifts in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more breaking news as we follow Tavares, Woll, and the rest of the NHL!