Joffrey Lupul Injury: Updates on Maple Leafs Winger's Status and Return

Updates from Monday, April 14

Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun provides a synopsis of Joffrey Lupul discussing his injury status:

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The Toronto Maple Leafs' season-ending whimper just got a lot louder on Monday after it was announced that right winger Joffrey Lupul will have knee surgery, according to Chris Johnston of Rogers SportsNet:

Despite that grim prognosis, hope isn't lost for Lupul or the Maple Leafs. Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported that the winger's recovery time is going to be three weeks:

The Leafs confirmed the surgery and the recovery time via the team's Twitter account:

That would seem to indicate the surgery isn't anything serious or that will hurt Lupul's preparation for the 2014-15 NHL season. If three weeks is the timetable for his return, that would allow him to return for the Stanley Cup Playoffs if the Maple Leafs are able to get in. 

Lupul was having an excellent bounce-back season after missing most of the 2012-13 campaign, when he played just 16 games. The 30-year-old appeared in 69 games this year, racking up 22 goals and 22 assists, though his minus-15 plus/minus is actually the second-worst mark of his career. 

The Maple Leafs are currently fifth in the Atlantic Division, sitting four points behind Detroit, and three points behind Columbus for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. If there is any hope for Toronto to sneak into the postseason, the team will need to pick up the slack even more without Lupul in the lineup.