John Tavares upgraded to day-to-day by the Maple Leafs

The first sign came at Tuesday's optional skate, where the captain-turned-elder-statesman showed up in the red no-contact sweater.

Mark Masters

@markhmasters

John Tavares wearing 🛑 sweater at Leafs optional skate Set for first team skate since injury @TSN_Sports t.co/s6NzRiVHjA

The red sweater means he isn't cleared for contact yet. But it also means he's back on the ice with the group and not skating alone with a trainer. Within minutes the team made it official and moved him off week-to-week, which is the designation that had been hanging over this since mid-October.

Chris Johnston

@reporterchris

John Tavares is skating in a non-contact sweater this morning and is now considered day to day, per the #leafs. His return is nearing.

Quick refresher on how we got here. Tavares went down October 15 in a 5-4 overtime loss to Buffalo, leaving in the 3rd period after an awkward collision with Sabres centre Josh Norris. Toronto called it a lower-body injury and put him at week-to-week, which is the vaguest label in hockey. It can mean 10 days or it can mean you see him around Christmas. Before he got hurt he was rolling, with 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists) through 7 games. He got back into a Leafs practice for the first time this week, and now he's 1 step from the lineup.

The schedule helps him out. Toronto plays tonight and then gets a few days off before the next one, so the return date everyone's circling is basically set.

Mark Masters

@markhmasters

Per @LeafsPR, John Tavares upgraded to day-to-day Leafs next game (after tonight) is Saturday against Habs @TSN_Sports

Saturday against Montreal is about as good a return spot as you'll find. It's Leafs-Habs, the oldest rivalry on the schedule, and a couple of days of full-contact practice between now and then should tell the team whether he's actually ready. Nobody has promised he plays Saturday, and day-to-day isn't a guarantee. Still, Chris Johnston saying the return is nearing is a long way from where this was 3 weeks ago.

What to watch: whether Tavares swaps the red sweater for a regular one at practice later this week. If he does, Saturday looks real. A healthy Tavares puts a 7-points-in-7-games centre back into the middle of the lineup, and the Leafs have been playing without him for most of the season.