FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Who knew the Toronto Maple Leafs’ waiver pickup of Troy Stecher would be this critical?

The damaged right side of the struggling club’s blue line has taken another surprise hit as Brandon Carlo left the road trip early on Monday.

Carlo suffered a setback in the recovery of his undisclosed lower-body injury and flew back to Toronto to see a specialist. The team expects an update on Carlo’s status Tuesday.

The top-four minute-muncher has already been sidelined for 18 days and counting.

As of Saturday, Carlo was planning to practise Monday with his teammates in Fort Lauderdale with hopes of returning to action as early as this week.

Now?

Carlo’s return feels about as imminent as that of fellow right-handed defenceman Chris Tanev (head/neck) — which is to say, not

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