The Maple Leafs will have to get by without Mikhail Grabovski for at least two weeks, coach Ron Wilson said on Wednesday.

Grabovski suffered a lower-body injury during the third period of a 3-2 shootout loss against the Phoenix Coyotes Tuesday and did not return.

“We’ll miss Grabo and what he brings, his speed, but it is an opportunity for somebody to step up and get the job done,” Wilson said.

“I’m not going to put that pressure on any type of individual.”

Winger Clarke MacArthur, meanwhile, will not play in Nashville against the Predators on Thursday. MacArthur has an upper-body injury and still needs to be assessed by doctors.

Centre Tim Connolly will return to the lineup after missing four games with what was thought to be a rib injury. He practised on a line with wingers Joey Crabb and Nikolai Kulemin, while Tyler Bozak stayed between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul.

Matt Frattin missed practice on Wednesday for personal reasons but will join the Leafs in Nashville.

Ben Scrivens will start in goal versus the Predators.

Wilson said he probably will dress seven defencemen, which means that Cody Franson would be in the lineup against the team that drafted him in 2005.

“It would be great,” Franson said. “Any time you get a chance to play a team you came from, it’s enjoyable. Every game is a chance for me to prove something to people. When you are in the situation I am in, you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get.”

Franson has been a healthy scratch for all but four of the Leafs’ 18 games this season.

terry.koshan@sunmedia.ca

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