The Toronto Maple Leafs will run with the same defensive pairs for the fourth game in a row when they host the New York Islanders on Monday, and it appears theyll have to get used to it for the time being.Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said TJ Brodie isnt healing from an oblique injury at the rate they Hector Rondon Jersey had hoped and the defender is not expected to join the team for their upcoming four-game road trip through the US Thanksgiving Day holiday.Brodie is not progre sing as quickly as theyd like and wont travel with us, Keefe said.Brodie was a game-time decision ahead of the Maple Leafs game against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 12. He took the warmup but wasnt able to play through an oblique injury.Keefe initially expre sed optimism that the injury wasnt unlike the oblique injury that John Tavares sustained during the preseason. In his media availability with the Leafs on Nov. 15 to addre s Jake Muzzins cervical spine injury, Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas put Evan Gattis Jersey a minimum of two weeks timeline on Brodies injury.Scroll to ContinueTavares was expected to be out a minimum of three weeks with his oblique injury and that would have Dallas Keuchel Jersey forced the Leafs captain to mi s the season opener and po sibly a couple of more games after that. However, Tavares was healed in time for the opener and has been one of Torontos top performers this season with 10 goals and 21 points in 19 games.Before Nov. 12, Brodie had suited up for every Leafs game since he signed a four-year, $20 million contract with the club as a free agent on Oct. 9, 2020. He has five goals and 44 points in 153 regular-season games with Toronto.With Brodie out of the lineup, Jordie Benn has occupied the sixth spot on defense. He made his Leafs debut on Nov. 12 in Brodies absence and has primarily skated with Morgan Rielly in a top-four position.Keefe has liked how Lance McCullers Jersey Benns personality has ingratiated him with the rest of the team. But the 35-year-old has exhibited a versatility that the coach has been able to depend on.He a veteran player whos played a lot on Jose Cruz Jr. Jersey the penalty kill, Keefe said of Benn. When you lose guys like Muzzin and Brodie, that bring significant parts to your penalty kill, that fits and the physical things, hes contributed well.Benn contributed offensively in his Leafs debut by scoring a goal against the Canucks, his former team. He had mi sed most of training camp and the regular season with a groin injury. The Victoria, BC native has a goal and an a sist in four games and has averaged 18:21 of ice time with Toronto this season.