"Team is just cursed","Gotta get another C": Maple Leafs fans react as John Tavares leaves practice with injury

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares left practice on Wednesday after suffering an awkward fall along the board. While Tavares skated off the ice, he was in obvious pain and discomfort. The Maple Leafs center skated off on his own though without assistance and this may be a cause for some optimism.

A video of the injury has set off a storm of fan reactions on social media. Let's take a look at what fans had to say.

“Team is just cursed lmao,” a fan commented.

“If Tavares goes down... we can't wait much longer, gotta get another C,” a fan wrote on X.

“Our center depth was already weak. This is brutal,” another fan said.

Fans also took to X to wish the former Maple Leafs captain well.

“Looks like as soon as he went through those Leaf doors he wanted to collapse. Hope he's going to be okay,” a fan wrote.

“The good news is that he got back up on his own,” one X user posted.

“He’s gonna be fine lol,” another fan said.

The Maple Leafs can ill afford to lose Tavares amid his resurgent season. Tavares has had 42 points in 44 games, and he is only behind center William Nylander and MVP candidate Mitch Marner on the team's scoring charts.

Maple Leafs coach speaks to media about John Tavares injury

Following practice, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube spoke to the media, addressing the potential Tavares injury situation. Berube stated per NHL.com:

“Nothing yet, he’s being evaluated.”

While Tavares was able to skate off on his own, the team is being cautious in determining if Tavares sustained an injury on the play.

"I didn't even see it," Berube said. "It kind of happened behind the net, so I couldn't really get a good look at it. He's being looked at now. He's been a great player for us for sure in a lot of areas, so hopefully he's OK."

The 34-year-old center is in the final year of his current seven-year deal with Toronto. Rumors suggest that Tavares wants to stay in Toronto, but no word on a potential deal has surfaced.

If Tavares misses time with an injury, the team will need to figure out who could step into the second-line center role. Max Domi could get the nod as he has played in that role earlier this season. Otherwise, the Leafs may be in the market for another center.