Tavares out week to week after lower-body injury against Sabres

John Tavares is out week to week with a lower-body injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced Saturday, Oct. 17, according to NHL.com and Sportsnet.

Toronto is adjusting its lineup for Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders. NHL.com reported that Bo Groulx is expected to return after being a healthy scratch Thursday. Sportsnet reported that Gavin McKenna will skate with Groulx and Colton Sissons and take Tavares’s place on the top power-play unit.

McKenna said he planned to concentrate on recovering pucks and working around the net in the new assignment, according to Sportsnet.

The centre was injured early in the third period of Thursday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres after colliding with Josh Norris. A trainer accompanied Tavares to the dressing room.

Coach Jim Hiller had no update immediately after that game. Speaking Saturday, Hiller said he hoped Tavares would be absent for only two weeks, Sportsnet reported; the team’s designation remains week to week.

Tavares has two goals and five assists through seven games this season. He contributed two assists against Buffalo before leaving the game. Toronto hosts the Islanders at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.