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Early Notes: Lehner, Matthews, Nylander

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Last season went down as the worst statistical season Robin Lehner had during his time as a Buffalo Sabres goaltender, registering just a .908 save percentage while putting together a 14-26-9 record. His struggles weren’t just localized in the crease though, as the 27-year old explained in an incredibly open and honest piece for The Athletic today. Lehner revealed struggles with mental health and alcoholism that he has dealt with for some time, and only just started getting help for.

Though his departure from the Sabres at the end of the year may have been surprising given the team invested a first-round pick in him a few years earlier when they acquired him from the Ottawa Senators, Lehner explains it was anything but contentious. Sabres GM Jason Botterill has apparently stayed in touch with Lehner all offseason to make sure things were trending in the right direction for him, and the New York Islanders have embraced him as part of their squad for this season.

  • Auston Matthews doesn’t have a long-term extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs yet, but that doesn’t mean he’s not committed to being with the team for a long time. Newcomer John Tavares confirmed as much in an interview alongside Matthews, telling Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that the young forward’s commitment was part of the selling process on Toronto. The two star centers seem comfortable with each other already and easily deflected any questions about the Maple Leafs captaincy going forward.
  • Matthews’ teammate William Nylander on the other hand is still not under contract and won’t be at the start of training camp as he continues his negotiations. Head coach Mike Babcock and GM Kyle Dubas both downplayed the situation by indicating that there are many players who go through this process around the league, but wouldn’t give an update as to when the Maple Leafs can expect Nylander on the ice. The young forward is looking for a long-term contract to secure his future in Toronto but there have been reports of a substantial gap between the two sides.

Dubas Has Many Decisions To Make In Toronto

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Just a couple of days into his new job and people are starting to see the challenges ahead for Toronto Maple Leafs new general manager Kyle Dubas. To start, the 32-year-old GM has been with the organization for four years and must deal with older, more experienced personnel, including 55-year-old Mark Hunter (at least for now) and 55-year-old Mike Babcock.

While Dubas has been given the keys to one of the most famed and loaded franchises, Dubas must also make his mark on the roster and lead the team to that next championship level. Many big decisions will come up just in the next few months including locking up his young players for the future, while building a winner in the one-year window before those deals kick in.

The first big decisions the GM will have to deal with is deciding if one or any of their unrestricted free agents will be brought back, including James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov. Both van Reimsdyk and Bozak are expected to get significant raises this summer when they sign new contracts and would be very challenging to bring back. Bozak in particular is valuable as the team is not nearly as strong at the center position as they are at the wing. However, Komarov could be a possibility if he encounters a dry market and the Maple Leafs believe he can still be of help. However, with great depth and a GM who is well aware of what type of players the team has at the AHL level, letting all three walk away is a legitimate possibility.

However, James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Dubas will want to put his own brand on the Maple Leafs, so expect multiple changes. Among those possibilities, includes a potential run at John Tavares or a defenseman like Dougie Hamilton. However, Mirtle points out that a player like Nikita Zaitsev could become one of those changes. With a partial no-trade clause kicking in next year and Zaitsev’s limitations with the puck, this might be a good time to move on from him if they don’t feel he will be a good fit in the future.

The defense might be the key to Dubas success. Often labeled as the team’s failing this season, a change might be necessary, but with limitations to long-term deals, the most likely way to upgrade the blueline would be through a trade, although it’s unlikely Dubas would move Mitch Marner or William Nylander to make a major upgrade.

Goaltending could be an issue too. Despite the solid performance by backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney this year, Dubas might look to trading the 34-year-old veteran netminder. With Garrett Sparks dominating in the AHL (1.79 GAA, .936 save percentage with the Toronto Marlies) and the real possibility the team could lose him to waivers at the start of next season, the team must decide whether it’s time to give Sparks the No. 2 spot.

While a decision on Roman Polak might be an easy one, Dubas is well aware that the defenseman is a personal favorite of Babcock and does the young GM throw the veteran coach a bone and bring him back? In the end, nothing will be easy for Dubas, who will be scrutinized more than any general manager in the coming months.

 

Latest On Toronto Maple Leafs’ Pursuit Of Igor Ozhiganov

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For several months, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the expected landing spot of KHL defenseman Igor Ozhiganov. That feeling has stemmed from the visit that Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock took in August of 2017, to meet with Ozhiganov and attempt to recruit him to Toronto. It’s the same playbook they used to land Nikita Zaitsev in the summer of 2016, a player they quickly extended after a solid first season.

Ozhiganov’s agent Dan Milstein had recently said that no decision has been made on where the defenseman will play next season, and now he’s clarified things even further. Darren Dreger of TSN passes along that it is either the Maple Leafs or KHL for Ozhiganov in 2018-19, with no other NHL teams being options for the 25-year old.

If Toronto does sign him, it may complicate things somewhat for their roster next season. Currently the team has only Zaitsev under contract as a right-handed defenseman, while Connor Carrick (RFA) and Roman Polak (UFA) head to free agency. Toronto used Ron Hainsey almost exclusively on the right side this season, but need to upgrade the position if they’re to take another step forward next year. While it’s hard to imagine Ozhiganov being given the same opportunity that Zaitsev was when he first came to Toronto, it seems unlikely that he’d be leaving Russia to play in the AHL. That means he’d have to take up the third spot on the right side, which is a risky proposition for a team looking to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Still, there is a long way to go before the ice is set for the 2018-19 season, and getting Ozhiganov under contract gives you another talented defenseman to work with. Whether through trade, free agency or something else, the Maple Leafs need to strengthen their defense corps and solidify their biggest weakness.

One has to wonder if part of the hold up for Ozhiganov is the potential departure of Lamoriello, who was moved out of the GM spot recently and has rumors circling around him. If Lamoriello was who sold the Maple Leafs organization to Ozhiganov in the first place, perhaps his absence would push the young defenseman back to the KHL.

Toronto’s Babcock Travels To Arizona To Talk With Auston Matthews

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It looks like there was some truth between the reported rift between the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and star Auston Matthews afterall. Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported Saturday evening that Babcock travelled to Arizona (Matthews home) for a family vacation, but plans to sit down and clear up any issues that Matthews may have with the coach, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

“The expectation is the two of them are going to talk or have talked this weekend as they try to air things out and fix things between them,” Elliotte Friedman said during Hockey Night’s “Headlines” segment on Saturday.

The rift was first reported by Nick Kypreos after Game 7 of the first-round playoff series between the Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins. Both player and coach denied the accusation.

While Babcock’s trip to Arizona is being passed off as a family trip, Kypreos feels differently.

“It is common for star players sometimes to battle with their coaches for things such as ice time,” Kypreos said during intermission of the Penguins-Capitals game on Saturday. “But what isn’t that common is a week after [exit meetings]. It’s clear that this is a priority for Babcock, who’s hoping to smooth things out so come training camp, everyone’s on the same page.”

LeBrun, however, tweeted that Babcock also has plans to visit goaltender Frederik Andersen in Denmark soon as well.

Nazem Kadri Suspended For Three Games

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After much anticipation, the NHL Department of Player Safety has finally made their decision on Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri. Kadri, who had a hearing today regarding his charge and boarding of the Boston Bruins’ Tommy Wingels last night, learned his fate this evening. Kadri will be suspended for the next three games of the Leafs’ first-round series against the Bruins. Player Safety explained their decision as such (video):

“Kadri sees Wingels has fallen, and with sufficient time to adjust his course or minimize the force, instead drives recklessly into the defenseless Wingels, causing his head to dangerously impact the boards. This is boarding. It is important to note that Kadri is in control of this hit at all times… Instead of avoiding or minimizing this hit, Kadri drives his hip into Wingels’ upper body”.

What Player Safety doesn’t address is the context that also leads one to believe that the hit was intentional. Kadri had just served a minor penalty for boarding Wingels less than four minutes earlier and, just before the hit in question, Sean Kuraly had scored for Boston, giving the Bruins a commanding 4-1 lead late in Game One. Kadri has a history of losing his cool, as this is his fourth career suspension – all of which have come from dirty hits to the head area – another fact that Player Safety definitely took into consideration in issuing this lengthy ban. Also likely taken into account is the fact that Wingels did not return to the game last night and did not practice today (and now the Leafs will likely have to deal with Ryan Donato in Game Two and beyond). Down in the series, the Leafs will be forced to bounce back from a convincing four-goal loss without the services of a veteran top-six forward for three more games. Head coach Mike Babcock and Kadri’s Toronto teammates can’t be happy about what was honestly a thoughtless, selfish decision by Kadri in the team’s playoff debut. Kadri could live to regret it, especially if he’s already played his final game of the season.

Kadri’s suspension is already the second handed down by Player Safety this postseason and just two days into the action. Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty will serve his one-game suspension tonight for a high, dangerous hit to the Vegas Golden Knights’ William Carrier on Wednesday. Yet, some are upset that the number of suspensions is not even higher. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals traded cheap shots last night, with the Jackets’ Josh Anderson injuring Michal Kempny and the Caps’ Tom Wilson injuring Alexander Wennberg, but neither player received any additional punishment. Nashville’s Ryan Johansen also had a questionable check on Colorado defenseman Tyson Barrie that didn’t draw any league scrutiny. As always, the playoffs take the physicality to the next level, but this year has seen heavy hitting early and often. At least through two suspensions in two days, Player Safety has shown that they aren’t afraid to hit players with postseason suspensions.

Poll: Which Coach Is Least Likely To Be Back Next Season?

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The NHL has gone almost the entire season without seeing a head coach fired, something that hasn’t happened in more than fifty years. Even with that said, it seems unlikely that all 31 head coaches will be back next season, either through expiration of their contract or termination by a frustrated GM.

Barry Trotz, for instance, is on the last year of his current contract and seems tied to the Washington Capitals playoff success this year. Though Washington GM Brian MacLellan was given a contract extension recently, there has been no word on Trotz, who has never advanced past the second round in his 19-year NHL coaching career.

There has been some talk of even the great Joel Quenneville being let go from Chicago, after the disappointing season the Blackhawks have suffered through. Quenneville is one of the greatest of all time, but even he might have to pay the price for underperforming stars and an aging core.

Who do you think is least likely to be brought back by their current team? Which coach won’t be wearing the same colors next season? Make sure to explain your vote in the comment section below.

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Snapshots: Maple Leafs Future, McDonagh, Price, Ferland

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While armed with top talent to make a Stanley Cup run now, the Toronto Maple Leafs will also have quite a few decisions to make after this season. For purposes of their playoff run, the team held onto its two key unrestricted free agents in Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. However, there is an extreme likelihood the team will move on from those two after the season. The team’s salary cap will continue to tighten over the next couple of years, especially with the pending extensions of Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner. In fact, all three could be extended this summer, although Nylander is the only one who will be a restricted free agent when the offseason begins.

Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star writes that its unlikely either Bozak or van Riesmdyk will return. Bozak is especially unlikely as he will be highly coveted by teams that are in need of a center and might overpay to sign him, something that Toronto cannot afford to do. Van Riemsdyk is another player, who puts up lots of goals, but lacks in other areas and McGran writes that he could see coach Mike Babcock wanting to move on as well.

What other options are out there? One legitimate possibility would be for the Maple Leafs to go out and sign KHL star and former NHLer Ilya Kovalchuk. The 34-year-old winger might be a perfect replacement for van Riemsdyk and would be much cheaper. Kovalchuk is coming off his best two seasons in the KHL as well as leading Russia to a gold medal and winning the MVP award at the Olympics a couple of weeks ago.

McGran also mentions Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau’s former teammate and buddy would be an interesting possibility to replace Bozak. While he’s coming off a tough injury, Thornton would provide the team with more leadership and experience. Russian defenseman Igor Ozhiganov of CSKA Moscow has also been linked to the Maple Leafs. Among the top in-house candidates, McGran points to wingers Andreas Johnsson and Carl Grundstrom along with centers Miro Aaltonen and Frederik Gauthier as players who could fill out Toronto’s line next season. The team should also have some defensive depth options in Calle Rosen, Andreas Borgman and Timothy Liljegren.

  • Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith writes that while the Tampa Bay Lightning attempted to pry defenseman Erik Karlsson from Ottawa at the trade deadline, the acquisition of defenseman Ryan McDonagh was hardly a fallback option. The general belief is that McDonagh might prove to be a better fit within the Lightning system. McDonagh, who might be ready to play in Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers, is considered to be the better shutdown guy who has the more well-rounded game than Karlsson. “McDonagh is one of the most well-rounded defensemen in the league,” said two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Brian Engblom, the Lightning’s Fox Sports Sun color analyst. “He’s a No. 1 on any team — a 1A-1B with Victor Hedman, and that’s only because Victor is Victor. (McDonagh) thinks about the right net first. “That doesn’t mean he’s not good passing the puck or making plays. He can play in any situation. He’s really mobile, really smart. He covers up a lot of mistakes by other people. He’s pretty much everything you want to list in an all-around defenseman.”
  • Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price skated for the first time since suffering a condition on Feb. 22, according to TVA Sports Renaud Lavoie. While he still has a ways to go, the hope is that Price will be able to practice with the team soon. Price has had a tough season as the 30-year-old has struggled with injuries. He has a 2.98 GAA and a .904 save percentage, which is not great for a goalie whose eight-year, $84MM extension kicks in next season.
  • Postmedia’s Kristen Anderson writes that Calgary Flames winger Micheal Ferland will return to action on Monday on the team’s top line against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ferland, who is having a breakout season, has missed the last four games with an undisclosed injury. He has 20 goals and 14 assists this season, a career-best.

Injury Notes: Bortuzzo, Mason, Matthews

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The St. Louis Blues are getting some reinforcements on the blue line, as they have activated Robert Bortuzzo from the injured reserve. Bortuzzo has been sidelined for more than two weeks with a knee injury suffered against the Dallas Stars back in mid-February. The big defenseman had played in 55 games with the Blues up to that point and should jump back into the starting lineup sooner rather than later. According to The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, that could even be tonight in a re-match with the Stars with crucial divisional points on the line. The Blues then take four days off ahead of a season-defining road trip against Western wild card contenders: San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Colorado. If St. Louis is still alive in the playoff race after these next five games, they could look forward to another addition on defense in the return of Joel Edmundson. In the meantime, Bortuzzo will be looked upon to step up in his return.

  • Another Central Division squad is getting deeper at a key position. After nearly two months of dealing with concussions symptoms, Steve Mason is on his way back to the Winnipeg net and just in time for the stretch run. The Jets announced today that they have assigned Mason to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, on a conditioning stint. The Moose in turn announced that Mason will get the start tonight against the Iowa Wild. With just 11 appearances and two head injuries to his name this season, Mason may need some time in the minors to get back in the swing of things and a week plus in the AHL would not be a surprise, but he will eventually make his return to Winnipeg. However, his role has changed dramatically over the course of this season. Signed to a two-year, $8.2MM starter-value contract this summer to presumably bridge the gap to Connor Hellebuyck, Mason instead has performed poorly and missed considerable time, while Hellebuyck has flourished. Mason will settle for a backup role down the stretch, supplanting Michael Hutchinson, and likely next year as well.
  • Auston Matthews isn’t quite ready to return to the Toronto lineup, but he is getting closer. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, in speaking with Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, says that Matthews has been skating regularly. Johnston adds that the fortunate part of an upper-body injury, in this case a separated shoulder, is that it doesn’t stop one from skating and keeping up with his conditioning. Matthews is known for his work ethic and has surely been skating hard while on the sidelines. Whenever the Leafs’ doctors give his shoulder the okay, he should be back at full force for Toronto. Sadly, that approval won’t be coming ahead of today’s outdoor game between the Leafs and Washington Capitals at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Matthews will miss his fourth straight game and fourteenth game due to injury in 2017-18.

Eastern Notes: Zajac, Nyquist, Toronto’s Motivation

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It’s alarming enough that the New Jersey Devils have lost 10 out of the last 12 games. They have lost their standing for a solid playoff spot and now are hanging on to one of the wildcard spots in a wildly competitive Metropolitan Division. To make matters worse, the Devils most recent four-game slide has come with little offense as well as the team has combined for three goals in those four games.

Andrew Gross of NorthJersey.com writes that the team hasn’t been able to compensate for the Taylor Hall injury who has missed the past three games and had to give up his spot in today’s all-star game due to a thumb injury. The scribe points to the play of Travis Zajac, who missed the first 17 games of the season after having offseason surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. Zajac has just five goals and two assists in 31 games since returning and despite his struggles remains a top-six forward and is still on the power play. His defensive play has also cost the team some goals as well.

“I’ve got to make better plays and better decisions at key moments,” Zajac said. “We’ll find a way to work ourselves out of it. We’ve done it all year and it’s the only way to get out of it.”

  • Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press writes the team has to come to a conclusion that their chances of a playoff spot are so remote they must sell off as much as they can. While defenseman Mike Green is an obvious option in Detroit, she believes the team needs to free up a top-six forward spot for some of the team’s younger forwards, citing the contract of winger Gustav Nyquist as their best bet to unload one of them. Nyquist has another year on his contract of $4.75MM which might force Detroit to retain part of his salary and they still would have to get him to sign off on his no-trade clause. However, with 14 goals in 48 games, he is having a solid season and has already passed his total from last year and is closing in on his goal totals from the 2015-16 season as well. That might give the team an opportunity to promote prospect Evgeny Svechnikov, the team’s first-round pick in 2015.
  • The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons wonders how the Toronto Maple Leafs will stay motivated in the final third of the season. The scribe writes that the Maple Leafs have basically locked up a playoff spot (albeit, unofficially) as they are entrenched in the Atlantic Division’s third playoff spot with a 28-18-5 record. They are unlikely to move up as Boston is five points ahead of them and surging and Tampa Bay 10 points ahead of them in the standings. They are also not likely to fall out of the playoffs as the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens are 15 points behind them. Simmons believes that coach Mike Babcock will have his hands full for the remainder of the season and hopes when the time comes, the team will be ready for the playoffs.

Snapshots: Dahlin, Tanev, Zaitsev, Ellis

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While Nico Hischier used the World Junior Championships a year ago to propel him to be the top pick in the 2017 draft, that hasn’t been needed for Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, the consensus No. 1 overall pick for the upcoming 2018 draft. However, no matter how secure Dahlin has that spot locked, he has done more than enough in this tournament to prove his worth, according to TSN’s Frank Seravalli.

On the final day of preliminary-round play, Dahlin is tied for the lead in points in the tournament with six and that’s as a 17-year-old. Most of the top players are 19. However, his play is what has garnered the most attention.

“Rasmus Dahlin is to a franchise what McDavid and Matthews have meant to the Oilers and Maple Leafs,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said. “He is to defencemen what those two guys are to centremen. He is a No. 1, elite defencemen who can play in the NHL right now. Right now.”

Seravalli adds that while Team Canada won’t decide until Jan. 11 whether to use major junior players for the Olympics, Dahlin could be the first player to go from the World Juniors to the Olympics since Eric Lindros did it in 1992.

  • The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver tweets that Winnipeg Jets winger Brandon Tanev will be out two to three weeks with a lower-body injury. The 26-year-old Tanev has been a regular for the Jets, having put up three goals and 10 points in 39 games so far this season.
  • Jonas Siegel of The Athletic tweets that Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said that defenseman Nikita Zaitsev might return by Jan. 16. The team needs help on defense after falling 6-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. “The reality is whoever you play on a nightly basis has to be able to play and sometimes when you play quick teams (like) tonight some guys get exposed and that was evident,” Babcock said.
  • Adam Vingan of the Tennessean writes that now that the Nashville Predators have assigned Frederick Gaudreau to Milwaukee of the AHL, the team has an open roster spot. He adds that defenseman Ryan Ellis, who has been out all season after undergoing knee surgery, has been cleared to play and the team may have opened up a roster spot for his return. It was reported earlier that Ellis’ targeted return was on Jan. 2.

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