Maple Leafs’ defenseman Conor Timmins out with lower-body injury

After a hot start in the preseason, Conor Timmins is expected to be out long-term with a lower-body injury.

The Maple Leafs’ defenseman was injured after taking a hit late in Toronto’s 2-1 win in Montreal on Friday night. He did not practice with the team on Saturday.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe said Timmins will undergo an MRI to determine how severe the injury is.

“He’s going to miss some time, he’s going to be out for a bit,” said Keefe.

Timmins has emerged as one of the biggest stories through training camp for the Leafs, scoring two goals and four assists for six points in three preseason games. At one point, Timmins led the entire NHL in preseason scoring.

With John Klingberg out with an upper-body injury, Timmins hoped to fill the void of right-handed defenseman with some offensive flair on Toronto’s blue line.

Injuries have been a constant theme in the 25-year-old’s career. A concussion in his final junior season caused him to miss the entire 2018-19 season. A knee injury six games into the 2021-22 season led to him missing the rest of the year.

Through four professional seasons, Timmins has only played 66 NHL games and 52 AHL games. Both Toronto and Timmins were hoping 2023-24 would be the defenseman’s breakout campaign.

The Leafs acquired Timmins in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes in November 2022. He appeared in 25 games with Toronto last season, scoring two goals and 12 assists for 14 points.

The Leafs signed Timmins to a two-year extension last February, earning him $1.1 million per year and keeping him with the club through 2024-25.

Drafted in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, Timmins produced big numbers with the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds, scoring 115 points in 163 games over three seasons.