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NHL's concussion spotters yanked Tavares out of Toronto Maple Leafs playoff game

Adam Laskaris
Adam Laskaris
|
Apr 28 2025, 4:16 pm
NHL's concussion spotters yanked Tavares out of Toronto Maple Leafs playoff game
Dan Hamilton/Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs were at the mercy of the NHL on Saturday night in order to take one of their most important players out of the game for a few moments.

According to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox on the ground at Leafs practice today, Leafs forward John Tavares was taken out of the game during overtime of the Leafs’ 4-3 Game 4 loss against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday by one of the NHL’s concussion spotters after getting hit up high by an elbow from opposing defender Artem Zub.

Zub was not assessed a penalty on the play, with Tavares eventually returning to the action for a few more shifts before Jake Sanderson’s overtime goal gave Ottawa their first win of the playoffs.

“Pretty obvious what happened on the play. Puck’s nowhere near me. But just move on from it. Go out there and keep competing, and trust that the refs are going to make the right calls,” Tavares said of the incident, per TSN’s Mark Masters.

Tavares, who was on the wrong end of a gut-wrenching hit in a 2021 first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens that cut short his playoff run in the opening game of the postseason, was no doubt grateful to avoid the worst-case scenario.

Here’s what the official NHL policy states on the role of “concussion spotters”, known formally as one of the NHL’s many Off-Ice Officials:

“If an Official observes a Player who is lying motionless, has motor incoordination/balance problems, or a blank or vacant look, after a direct or indirect blow to the head, the Official shall report it to the Club Medical Personnel and the Player shall be removed from the playing environment and evaluated.”

Tavares finished with 22 shifts on the evening, seventh-most among Leafs forwards but three less than linemate William Nylander.

According to Fox, Tavares has a sore cheek and jaw, but is able to play through it and otherwise avoided a serious injury on the play.

Tavares has three goals and two assists through four games for the Leafs. The two teams renew hostilities on Tuesday night, when Toronto hosts their third game of the series at Scotiabank Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 pm EDT, with the game broadcast nationally on CBC and Sportsnet.

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