Huge return on Monday morning for the Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs may soon see one of their top stars return to the lineup.

On Monday morning, the Maple Leafs got some good news during an optional morning skate when veteran defenseman Morgan Rielly hit the ice for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury. Rielly last played on March 24th against the Carolina Hurricanes when he suffered the injury.

Since that time Rielly has missed 3 games for the Maple Leafs but his return to practice today would suggest that he is well on his way to recovery. At the time the injury was revealed, this past Tuesday, Sheldon Keefe indicated that he did not expect Rielly would be out long term as a result of that injury.

Keefe of course has been wrong already once this season, initially describing Mitch Marner's injury as "day to day" with Marner now on long-term injured reserve but, given today's news, it seems his prediction about Rielly was more accurate.

The aforementioned Mitch Marner was also out on the ice for the Maple Leafs on Monday.