Troubling news strikes ex-Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo and the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of playoffs

Brandon Carlo has earned himself a spot in this year's playoffs after being newly acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs organization during this year's NHL Trade Deadline, however, a recent announcement has revealed the former Bruin has been hit with some terrible news.

The Maple Leafs are already down one key defenseman, Jake McCabe, and following practice on Friday, April 11, the team saw yet another absence.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman and former Bruins' Brandon Carlo's defensive pairing partner has been sidelined yet again.

This puts the most pressure on Brandon Carlo in his new change of scenery to perform at a crucial time, just days before the playoffs.

The loss of Ekman-Larrsson, who soaks up an average of 21 minutes of ice time per game, will put a huge workload on Carlo.

With a win against the Panthers on April 2nd, Carlo and his Maple Leafs teammates have been sitting comfortably in a playoff spot.

Head coach Craig Berube even cracked a joke, stating maybe he'll be forced to lace up the skates for their next game due to the injuries of rostered defensemen.

But every win is crucial to determine their final ranking and potential playoff opponent, as they are sitting at 100 points, with the Tampa Bay Lightning being just two points behind (98) and the Florida Panthers, with former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand, rolling in with a 2-game winning streak and four points behind (96).