The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Rangers thanks to a last-minute goal from defenseman Troy Stecher, helping them pick up a dramatic 5-4 win at Scotiabank Arena.
But afterward, they confirmed some unfortunate injury news about another defenseman, who won’t be available in the immediate future because of a lower-body injury.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Announce Marshall Rifai Has Been Placed On IR
Defenseman Marshall Rifai, who did not play on Thursday after his departure from the morning skate with an undisclosed injury, has been placed on Injured Reserve, as confirmed by TSN’s Mark Masters.
“Marshall Rifai week-to-week with lower-body injury, per Leafs PR,” Masters wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “He’ll be placed on IR.”
After Rifai’s departure following Thursday morning’s skate, head coach Jim Hiller said that he wasn’t sure of the exact nature of Rifai’s ailment.
“Not sure,” Hiller said. “He’s dealing with something, so we’re going to have to wait and see on that.”
So far this season, Rifai has a goal in two games played; he’s tallied one goal with two penalty minutes in five career NHL games while averaging 12:15 of ice time.
Marshall Rifai Recently Scored His First NHL Goal For The Maple Leafs
Rifai grew up in the Montreal area and played in Quebec’s youth system before moving to Connecticut’s Hotchkiss School at 16, when his 5-foot-7 frame made him an unlikely QMJHL prospect. After growing during his two years at Hotchkiss, he remained undrafted in 2016 before spending a season in the USHL with Omaha and Des Moines.
Rifai then joined Harvard, where he went from a six-game freshman season to a regular role on the blue line. He earned the team’s most-improved-player award as a sophomore and later helped Harvard win the ECAC championship in his final season.
After college, Rifai signed as an undrafted free agent with the American Hockey League affiliate Toronto Marlies and posted 16 points in 69 games as a rookie. The Maple Leafs signed him to an entry-level contract in July 2023, and he made his NHL debut against St. Louis in February 2024 after an emergency call-up. Toronto signed him to a two-year, $1.5 million extension in September 2024.
Rifai scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 20 in a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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