Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe returns to the roster for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL playoffs against the Ottawa Senators. McCabe joined his injured Leafs teammates, such as Jani Hakanpaa, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Ryan Reaves, for an optional skate on Friday.
Jake McCabe Says He’s Excited About His Return
McCabe, who hasn’t played since suffering an upper-body injury on April 2, told reporters he was fired up about returning for the playoffs. “Yeah, pumped. Ready to rock.” The Hockey News reporter Nick Barden shared a quote from McCabe on X.
Jake McCabe, on if he’s ready for Game 1 tomorrow vs. Ottawa: “Yeah, pumped. Ready to rock.”
— Nick Barden (@nickbarden)
On Saturday, April 19, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube confirmed that McCabe would be good to go for Game 1, while Ekman-Larsson would be re-evaluated on Sunday.
On Monday, April 14, NHL insider Darren Dreger shared an update about McCabe and Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on TSN’s “First Up” podcast.
“Well, it is day-to-day, and it doesn’t sound like it’s anything ominous at this point,” Dreger said. “Sure, they prefer to have those guys healthy and in the lineup, but they’re going to take advantage of the time that they have now and the fact that other guys were given (the) opportunity to step up.”
The Buffalo Sabres chose McCabe in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the Sabres from 2014 to 2021, when he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks as an unrestricted free agent.
He was traded to the Maple Leafs on February 27, 2023, ahead of the trade deadline for the season. He has emerged as a solid two-way player for the Canadian team, with 11 goals and 45 assists in 160 games.
Before his injury, McCabe had six assists in his last seven games. The Maple Leafs had been shorthanded down the stretch, with just five defensemen available. Still, they won their final five regular-season games and hope to carry that momentum into the playoffs.
“I thought we’ve been pretty stingy, honestly. Our 5-on-5 game’s been real solid. I think that’s when you go into the playoffs you want to be real solid at 5-on-5, not giving up much…Special teams are a huge thing in the playoffs as well, being stingy on the kill, being disciplined, not giving them opportunities, and when we do have a power play, cash in.”
The Maple Leafs will play the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the playoffs on Sunday, April 20.
