TORONTO - While Joffrey Lupul remains out indefinitely, the Maple Leafs have received at least one boost on offence.
Forward Matt Frattin, forced out of the lineup for 12 games due to knee problems, returned to action last night against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, playing alongside Nazem Kadri and Clarke MacArthur.
The Edmonton native was skating at a point-per-game clip through the team’s first 10 games, notching seven goals.
“It’s definitely a boost to the lineup. Fratti’s a good player,” said Kadri, who took a seven-game point streak into the contest. “We could use his speed and his shot. It’s good to have him back.
“I know it hurt him (to watch), especially when we were struggling a little bit,” Toronto’s leading scorer added. “But now that he’s 100%, I’m sure we’ll be getting a lot out of him.”
Frattin was entering a nice rhythm before minor knee surgery forced him out of the lineup. The right-winger said his patience was tested throughout the process.
