An injury to the Toronto Maple Leafs captain would seriously derail any dreams of getting back in the playoff race.
That's the scenario the club is facing as Dion Phaneuf is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury sustained prior to the All-Star break, the club announced Monday.
It's believed the defenseman suffered a hand injury, an NHL source told Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star.
Phaneuf saw only 15:22 of ice time in the team's final game before the break, well below his average of 23:06. He did engage in fisticuffs with Ottawa Senators forward Milan Michalek, which could explain a hand issue.
In 48 games, Phaneuf has registered two goals, 20 assists, 85 shots and a minus-2 rating.