Controversial call costs Maple Leafs a key defenseman

As TSN's Mike Johnston noted on the broadcast, Ekman-Larsson didn't even touch the puck and the little round disk is several feet away involved in a completely different play. It is a blatant call that should have been made, whether it is interference or boarding or whatever. But the referees kept their whistles in their pocket because it was at a pivotal part of the game.

Ekman-Larsson went to the locker room and did not return to the bench during overtime or to watch his teammates finish the shootout.

Even Leafs head coach Jim Hiller commented on the brutal hit after the game and believed something should be called there.

As noted by Sportsnet's Luke Fox, Hiller did not provide an update on Ekman-Larsson's potential injury. Since it was so late in the game, one could not take too much stock in him not returning to the bench, since he might have still been getting looked at when the game was finished. He could have just been badly banged up and if it happened at the end of the first period, maybe he would be back on the ice before second intermission.

We'll hopefully find out more but it could prove to be a loss.

Ekman-Larsson being out could expose Leafs' blue line

It's not like Ekman-Larsson has had a stellar start to the season. He has zero points through five games while averaging just 16:43 time-on-ice on the bottom pairing and is looking like his age of 35 years old is starting to show out on the ice. Father time has potentially come for the veteran Swedish defenseman.

But, without him as an option, we're looking at something like a bottom pairing involving both Nick Blankenburg and Troy Stecher and considering how the latter has been playing as of late and how the former hasn't played a game yet this season and how they're both right-handed -- it could be even more of a disaster.

We just have to hope that it's not that serious -- or a solid-enough defenseman suddenly is put on the waiver wire and Toronto can snatch him up as quickly as possible.