Brandon Hagel leaves after taking a fore arm from Ekblad. John Tavares should be able to go after being in concussion protocol. Apr 21, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA;T Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) and Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) fight during the second period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs' John Tavares expected to play in Game 5 after being in concussion protocol

Originally posted on NHL Rumors | By Mark Easson | Last updated Apr 29, 2025 11:17 AM ET

Jessi Pierce : Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson could return for Game 5 tonight. He left Saturday’s game in the third period with a lower-body injury.

“He looks good,” Wild coach John Hynes said Monday. “I’ll talk to the trainers after, but he went through the whole practice and was good, so that’s real positive.”

Forward Joel Eriksson Ek had a maintenance day yesterday, but will be in the lineup.

George Richards : Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel left last night’s game in the second period after taking a hit from Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. There wasn’t an update after the game.

Aaron Ekblad takes down Brandon Hagel, no penalty, and then #GoBolts later score twice in 11 seconds to take a 2-1 lead ? #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/SvrSEb952M

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) April 29, 2025

Mike Zeisberger: Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares was in concussion protocol in Saturday’s OT loss for over 10 minutes after a hit from Artem Zub. He was on the ice yesterday and is good to go for Game 5.

“I feel good,” Tavares said Monday. “A bit of soreness just in my jaw and cheek area, but felt good. I felt good on the ice today.”

Dave McCarthy: Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews didn’t practice yesterday for some extra rest, but is expected to play tonight.

“I look at the minutes, he played a lot of minutes last game,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “So, it’s just a conversation. I have conversations with guys about it and if they feel like they need a little more rest, I think it’s a good thing.”

Goaltender Joseph Woll missed practice yesterday due to an illness. His status for Game 5 is not known.

Tom Gulitti: Washington Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas could return to the lineup tonight for Game 5. He’s been out since April 4th due to a skate cut to his left foot. He started skating on April 20th and has practiced with the team for the past three days.

“He’s right there,” Carbery said. “He’s full practice. He’s ready to roll. We’ll see if he gets into Game 5.”

Tracey Myers: Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi took part in their optional skate yesterday. It was his third consecutive day skating in a regular jersey. He’s been out since March 23rd with an upper-body injury.

This article first appeared on NHL Rumors and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: