Maple Leafs defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo may not play another pre-season game as coach Paul Maurice intends go easy on his oft-injured defenceman, giving him time to let his sore right knee heal.
Colaiacovo has played in two of Toronto's five exhibition games so far but his knee – which underwent surgery in the spring – has been acting up.
"We're trying to strengthen this leg as hard as we can," Maurice said Tuesday. "I think he's fine. We could play him. But we don't really need to see him in an exhibition game.
"If he can go in there (the workout room) and make the leg really hard and make it stronger, then that's what we're going to do," Maurice said, adding it was "normal" for Colaiacovo to experience knee pain.
"We're just trying to keep him on his light program for as long as we can before we turn him loose and say now you really got to play," said Maurice.
The Leafs have three pre-season games left, including Wednesday night at home to Buffalo. The regular season opens next week.
Colaiacovo's setback is the second significant blow to the Leafs with Kyle Wellwood already sidelined a month after groin surgery.
Forward Boyd Devereaux was back on the ice Tuesday, his foot infection having healed.
There is no shortage of defencemen available to play in Colaiacovo's place. Staffan Kronwall and Anton Stralman, both of Sweden, top a lengthy list of young blueliners on the cusp of becoming NHL regulars.
Both are expected in the lineup Wednesday night against Buffalo. Vesa Toskala is expected to start in net.
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