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Kyle Dubas

Playoff Notes: Drouin, Domi, Robertson

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Not only did the Montreal Canadiens luck out by even making the NHL’s expanded playoff field, but they already may be winning the injury battle with their play-in opponent, the Pittsburgh Penguins. While the Penguins announced today that forward Nick Bjugstad suffered a setback in his recovery from a herniated disc and required season-ending surgery, the Habs got the opposite news. GM Marc Bergevin revealed today that core forward Jonathan Drouin will be healthy and active for the team’s playoff series. Drouin only saw 27 games this season due to a litany of injuries, so the team will receive a major boost that they did not enjoy for most of the year. In a healthy 2018-19 season with Montreal, Drouin recorded 53 points and in his last playoff experience with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he was a force with 14 points in 17 games. The Canadiens need Drouin to be at his best if they hope to beat the Penguins, but have to be excited at the mere idea that he could be 100% and ready to contribute to their unlikely postseason run.

  • Of course, the Habs also have a serious question to face in the availability of Max Domi. Bergevin spoke to media and noted that the team will put health above all else. What that means is that Domi, a diabetic, may not be able to play if team doctors determine it is unsafe for him to do so. Coronavirus in those with diabetes can cause complications, with WebMD estimating that diabetics are 25% more likely to require hospitalization. Domi has had no prior issues with his Type 1 diabetes during his NHL career, but Montreal will not risk his health regardless. They will need their medical staff to ensure that all necessary measures are being met to make to keep Domi and his teammates safe from infection.
  • An Atlantic Division rival of the Canadiens is anticipating an exciting addition to their lineup. Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas announced today that 2019 top pick Nick Robertson will join the team for their playoff run. Dubas had previously stated that he was excited for Robertson to fight for a spot next season, but that timeline has moved up with the talented prospect earning his way onto the team’s expanded postseason roster. Robertson, 18, is coming off a season in which he recorded 86 points in 46 games for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes and also starred for Team USA at the World Juniors. Whether or not Robertson actually plays for Toronto in the playoffs, his inclusion on the roster will be an interesting glimpse into the future for the Leafs.

Toronto Notes: Six, Murray, Robertson

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The NWHL has a new franchise in one of the biggest hockey markets in the world. Today the Toronto Six were announced as the sixth team in the expanding women’s professional league, revealing their colors and logo in the process. The NWHL quickly started plans for expansion into Toronto last year after the dissolution of the CWHL.

The new Toronto team already has more than a dozen players under contract, but that doesn’t include Jaycee Gebhard who they selected sixth overall in the recent draft. Gebhard decided a few days ago to sign with Brynas IF in Sweden’s SDHL after captaining Robert Morris University.

  • Even though the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t playing right now, they continue to make news as media members speculate about the future. That speculation has landed on Frederik Andersen this week, and whether or not the team will go out to acquire a different goaltender as he approaches free agency. Matt Murray, who has a connection to Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe from their time with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the AHL has been suggested as a possible replacement. Murray is also in a situation with the Pittsburgh Penguins that may lead to a breakup, given the strong play and relative cost of Tristan Jarry. Luke Fox of Sportsnet addresses the Murray speculation in his latest mailbag, writing that he’s not convinced that the Pittsburgh netminder would be an upgrade on Andersen. The staff here at PHR gave our own takes on what Pittsburgh should do with Murray and Jarry recently.
  • One player that is hoping to play in Toronto regardless of who is in net behind him is young forward Nick Robertson, who told Joshua Kloke of The Athletic (subscription required) that his focus is “on the NHL right now.” It’s hard to have a better post-draft season than the 18-year old Robertson, who scored 55 goals and 86 points in just 46 games for the Peterborough Petes, while also starring for Team USA at the World Juniors. The 5’9″ forward fell all the way to 53rd overall in last year’s draft, but will already be pushing for an NHL roster spot come training camp. For what it’s worth, Dubas has already said he’ll give Robertson “every opportunity” to make the team next season.

Maple Leafs Likely To Have Greater Cap Issues Due To Cononavirus

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The Toronto Maple Leafs knew they would have some issues with their cap for many years in the future when they signed John Tavares to a seven-year, $77MM ($11MM AAV) contract and then locked up their three future star forwards (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander) to a combined $29.5MM per season.

General manager Kyle Dubas was already hard-pressed last year when he was forced to send a first-round pick to Carolina to get rid of Patrick Marleau’s final year of his contract. The team also sent off popular center Nazem Kadri to Colorado in hopes of adding some much-needed defense. The team already knew it was going to have to make some tough decisions this offseason even with estimates that the salary cap could increase from $81.5 to anywhere from $84-88.2MM. However, the Maple Leafs’ cap situation may have gotten worse, according to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, who writes that with the financial impact that is expected to hit the NHL, that salary cap could flatline and remain at $81.5MM next season.

If that’s the case, then the Toronto Maple Leafs plans may require some major changes as they currently have $77MM committed to just 17 players with a number of restricted free agents they must deal with, including Ilya Mikheyev, Travis Dermott, Denis Malgin and Frederik Gauthier. Both Mikheyev and Dermott each should get significant raises, while the team will want to being back Gauthier. Malgin is a different question. On the unrestricted free agent market, the team was likely going to let Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci walk anyway, there would be no room to keep either one if they wanted to bring one back. The team must also find some room for Jason Spezza and Kyle Clifford, who have become valued veterans.

With so much salary, the scribe believes that Dubas will guaranteed be forced to trade at least one of their younger top-six forwards, including Kasperi Kapanen ($3.2MM AAV), Andreas Johnsson ($3.4MM) or Alexander Kerfoot ($3.5MM), each of which make more a significant amount of money and likely could bring back a significant package of cheap roster players.

Of course, much of that is dependent on what happens in the next few weeks/months, but the more time that passes is likely worse in Toronto. Throw in the fact that the team must also deal with Frederik Andersen’s contract in two years and they have even more trouble ahead.

Toronto Maple Leafs “Kicked Tires” On Jack Campbell

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The Toronto Maple Leafs were without Frederik Andersen at practice today as he continues to be evaluated for the upper-body injury he suffered last night. The team announced after their 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers that Andersen—who left the game after the first period—had passed his concussion tests, but obviously they need to take things cautiously with their franchise netminder. He is now listed as day-to-day with a neck injury, but won’t travel with the team to New York. That led to Luke Fox of Sportsnet examining several potential trade options that Toronto could look at to solidify their goaltending situation, including Jack Campbell of the Los Angeles Kings.

Fox reports that Maple Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas has “kicked tires” on Campbell, who has played in 20 games for the Kings this season and carries a .900 save percentage. That number is not something to get very excited about, but it is important to remember that the Kings have struggled in almost every facet of the game this season. Campbell did post a .928 save percentage in 31 appearances during the 2018-19 campaign.

One potential hiccup however, is the increasing salary Campbell is going to get moving forward. Though he carries just a $675K cap hit this year and could fit into the Maple Leafs’ tight financial picture, a new two-year extension kicks in for 2020-21 that has an average annual value of $1.65MM. Toronto, thanks to some incredibly large contracts signed by their star forwards, may not be able to afford a backup with that kind of deal—especially if they have any thoughts of an Andersen extension after his contract expires in 2021.

Even if Andersen proves healthy enough to return to action quickly, the Maple Leafs still may have a backup issue as they try to stay afloat in the Atlantic Division playoff race. The team hasn’t been able to rely on backup Michael Hutchinson, as evidenced by his performance last night in relief. Hutchinson allowed three goals on 13 shots, lowering his season save percentage to .886, fourth-worst in the league among goaltenders who have at least ten appearances.

Jake Muzzin Would “Love To Stay” In Toronto

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While the focus right now for the Toronto Maple Leafs has to be on how they can improve their defense for this season, general manager Kyle Dubas also has to keep one eye on the future. The team has four key defensemen scheduled for free agency at the end of the season, with Jake Muzzin, Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci all unrestricted. The team apparently is looking for players that aren’t just pure rentals in trade, but at least one of their free agents might want to stick around. Muzzin spoke to reporters at today’s morning skate after he was recalled from a recent conditioning stint (via TSN):

The organization, the way they look after us. The guys here the buzz in the city about hockey is huge. Being close to home is always a nice touch, especially with a little one around now. There’s lots of good things here and I’d love to stay.

Muzzin, 30, is from Woodstock, Ontario, just a couple of hours down the highway from Toronto. He played most of his career to this point about as far away as you can possibly get with the Los Angeles Kings, but came to the Maple Leafs last season. A stabilizing presence on the blue line, his current five-year, $20MM deal will expire at the end of June.

If the team wants to keep one of their pending UFA defensemen, Muzzin might make the most sense. While Barrie and Ceci are both right-handed—which has been the weaker side of the Maple Leafs’ group in recent years—the former may be too expensive while the latter has struggled. Muzzin meanwhile could be right in the sweet spot in terms of salary demands, though they already have three other left-handers—Morgan Rielly, Travis Dermott and Rasmus Sandin. With Muzzin’s return tonight the team will keep Sandin in the lineup, perhaps trying out what the group could look like in a year’s time.

The veteran defenseman was also asked about the potential availability of Alec Martinez, a former partner of his with the Kings:

Oh really? I mean he’s a great, great defender. I know him well, I played with him for a long time. You know whatever happens, happens, I don’t know.

Latest On Toronto’s Search For Defense

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The Toronto Maple Leafs need defense. That’s what the prevailing thought has been for the last several seasons, and after Morgan Rielly suffered a broken foot recently that will keep him out for quite a while it isn’t changing anytime soon. Today, Bob McKenzie was on TSN radio talking about the Maple Leafs’ current search for help on the back end:

I think it’s a very specific need. I think it’s a right-shot [defenseman] or a left-shot who has a lot of experience playing on the right side. It’s also somebody who has a significant amount of term on his contract, and by significant I would probably say the low end of the bar would be what they did with [Jake] Muzzin. That is someone who has the rest of this season and another full year before they get to unrestricted free agency.

That is obviously a very precise ask and one that the Maple Leafs have seemingly been unable to find in recent years. One of the first things that former head coach Mike Babcock remarked after the team traded a first-round pick and two prospects for Muzzin last season was how the veteran’s handedness—that is, left-handedness—made him an imperfect fit on the roster. GM Kyle Dubas went out and found Tyson Barrie in the offseason, but he has had mixed results on the ice and is scheduled for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.

So is Cody Ceci, who is turning into a failed experiment of his own after coming over from the Ottawa Senators. If those two leave, the organization will be down to just Justin Holl and Timothy Liljegren among right-handers with any NHL experience (and the latter has just ten minutes at that) signed for the 2020-21 season.

Once again Mathew Dumba is brought up in the conversation with McKenzie along with other speculative names. The Minnesota Wild defenseman is signed through the 2022-23 season but carries a $6MM cap hit, something that might be too expensive for the Maple Leafs to handle as they try to navigate the salary cap with three of the highest-paid forwards in the league on the roster.

Obviously there is an appetite to acquire a defenseman at this point, but it’s clear that the Maple Leafs have a very specific type of player in mind. With now just a month left before the deadline, it is still to be seen whether they can even find that player around the league, let alone land him in trade.

Snapshots: Mikheyev, Phillips, Stalock

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If you were in a foreign country where you didn’t speak the language well, were away from your entire family and had just undergone emergency surgery to repair slashed tendons in your wrist, it might be a little overwhelming. That’s why Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas stayed with injured forward Ilya Mikheyev in New Jersey while he recovered from surgery. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports however, Dubas’ goodwill may actually have a positive impact on player acquisition down the road. Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, the agent for Mikheyev and many other Russian players, explained to Johnston that he has already told his other clients of how the situation was handled:

The agent has KHL free agents currently drawing significant NHL interest for next season and has made sure they’re all aware of the humanity the Leafs exhibited with Mikheyev, telling them: “You should know how Toronto took care of this particular accident.”

While that obviously doesn’t guarantee the Maple Leafs will get any sort of discount down the road, it certainly can’t hurt when they’re trying to convince the KHL’s top talent to come over to North America. The team will also have a negotiation with Mikheyev at some point, given that he will be a restricted free agent this summer.

  • The Los Angeles Kings have assigned minor league defenseman Markus Phillips to the Guelph Storm of the OHL, sending him back despite already having played in the ECHL and AHL this season. The 20-year old will re-join the Storm for the rest of his overage season, another addition to a team that is already 21-8-5 this season. Phillips was selected 118th overall in 2017 and had six points in 20 games for the Fort Wayne Komets this season.
  • Alex Stalock has been fined $2,000 for embellishment, following an incident that occurred against the Winnipeg Jets on December 21st. It was the second cited case of diving by Stalock, following an earlier incident against the Pittsburgh Penguins that incurred a warning from the league. Though it obviously isn’t a lot of money, embellishment comes with escalating fines that eventually are levied against the coach as well—something that never helps a player’s career.

Latest On Tyson Barrie

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With the Toronto Maple Leafs floundering near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and on a six-game losing streak, chatter has started building around some of their pending unrestricted free agents. Tyson Barrie in particular has looked like a fish out of water in Toronto after an offseason trade brought him to the Maple Leafs, and with his relatively low cap hit—the Colorado Avalanche retained salary in the deal so Barrie costs just $2.75MM this season—he has drawn interest from around the league.

Still, Toronto doesn’t seem eager to make a move. Speaking with Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com this week, Maple Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas preached patience when it comes to evaluating players:

I think the reality is, especially when you have a player with a long proven track record, I think you can make some major mistakes by being hasty and not trying to dig in to what you’re seeing on video, what you’re seeing in games, what you’re seeing via data or finding out from the player how they feel. You’ve got to dig into those aspects to try to find a solution to get that player to play to their potential.

Barrie, 28, still hasn’t scored a single goal this season after recording double-digit totals in five of the last six years. The fact that he has just seven assists is incredibly troubling as well, given he is coming off a 59-point campaign with Colorado last season. Some of that is not running the first powerplay in Toronto (a spot that Morgan Rielly holds), but there has been an obvious mismatch in system and style for Barrie in Toronto.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet included a note on Barrie in his recent 31 Thoughts column, writing that there is “definitely an understanding from all parties that this isn’t working so far.” Not only does the veteran defenseman have to worry about the Maple Leafs turning things around, but his value on the open market is also dropping daily.

Barrie was set to be one of the most sought-after defensemen in free agency, but with a contract season like this it’s unclear where his market will end up.

Maple Leafs Expected To Waive Jason Spezza

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The Jason Spezza era in Toronto could be over as soon as it began. With Zach Hyman set to return from injury, the consensus from media members around the league, such as TSN’s Shawn Simpson, is that Spezza will be the odd man out for the Maple Leafs. The respected veteran centerman had plenty of suitors this off-season, but opted to take a hometown discount to suit up for the Leafs. However, his opportunities with Toronto have been limited by head coach Mike Babcock and it is now expected that Spezza could be on his way to the waiver wire and then off to another NHL team or down to the minors.

For whatever reason, Babcock has not seen Spezza as a valuable piece of his roster so far this season. While GM Kyle Dubas and company likely saw the former perennial 50+ point scorer as a potential bargain at the $700K minimum contract they signed him to, he has been unable to maximize that value. Babcock has been hesitant to give Spezza the opportunity to make the most of his affordable contract. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston states that it was apparent all the way back in training camp that Babcock wasn’t enthused by Spezza’s addition and didn’t see a particular fit for him in the lineup. Granted, Spezza is not exactly an ideal fourth-line center, but surely the team could find a way to use the former All-Star, right? In fact, only the injury issues with John Tavares have allowed Spezza to make regular appearances – although he has been a healthy scratch frequently as well – but even in those games his ice time has been limited to a career-low 11:06 ATOI. Spezza has still managed four points in nine games and has an impressive 57.3% Corsi, but nothing he has done has seemed to change Babcock’s mind as to his role on the team, likely forcing management’s hand when it comes to waiving him upon activating Hyman.

Spezza, a veteran of more than 1000 NHL games, stands a very good chance of being claimed on waivers. The Maple Leafs were far from the only team to pursue the capable pivot this summer and that interest has likely only risen given his minimal cap hit and the pressure that many teams are facing to add talent in the face of a salary cap crunch or injury crisis. While Spezza is no longer the top scorer he once was, he did produce nearly 30 points in each of his final two seasons with the Dallas Stars despite noticeable regression and could do so with another club. Spezza’s face-off numbers are down this season and he seems to have lost a step in his skating, but otherwise he still plays a complete, two-way game. On top of that, he brings invaluable experience and locker room leadership to any team.

The one club that sticks out as a possible landing spot is of course the Ottawa Senators. The team with which Spezza has spent most of his career, the Senators were one of his most aggressive suitors this summer and their young squad could certainly benefit from his veteran presence. GM Pierre Dorion has made it known that he is looking to make an addition up front and may be able to do so without parting with trade capital by simply claiming Spezza. His minimal cost would also be attractive to a team that often seems allergic to spending. Both Simpson and The Ottawa Sun’s Don Brennan see Spezza as an ideal fit in Ottawa as a mentor and a player who can contribute throughout the lineup. While Spezza signed in Toronto this summer to return to his hometown, a reunion with the Senators would truly be a homecoming for the former face of the franchise.

Overseas Notes: Toronto Targets, Zubov, Ullstrom

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Free agency is never truly over. NHL executives keep an eye on impending free agents all year long and will take any opportunity to create a positive impression on a possible target. It’s no different when it comes to foreign talent, as recently demonstrated by Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas. KHL insider Igor Eronko reports that while scouting in Russia recently, Dubas met with two recognizable KHLers who are set to hit the open market next summer: Mikhail Grigorenko and Nikita Nesterov. Grigorenko, 25, was a first-round pick of Buffalo in 2012 who played over 200 games with the Sabres and Colorado Avalanche before returning home to Russia in 2017. The power forward was a top-ten scorer in the KHL last season and helped to lead CSKA Moscow to a Gagarin Cup title. He’s picked up right where he left off this season, recording 15 points through his first 16 games, and is likely to be highly sought-after by both KHL and NHL clubs this off-season. Nesterov, 26, is Grigorenko’s teammate for CSKA, coming over with him in 2017 after three NHL seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. Nesterov is a reliable defensive defenseman, which can often be hard to find in the KHL. He has played an important role for Moscow over the past two years, even if he doesn’t frequent the score sheet. Both Grigorenko and Nesterov are core pieces for CSKA and the team will not let them walk away easily. However, that didn’t stop Dubas from doing his due diligence on the duo in case they do become available. The Maple Leafs have been successful of late in prying talent from the KHL, including the likes of Par Lindholm, Igor Ozhiganov, and now Ilya Mikheyev. He appears to be readying himself for another run at Russia’s elite this summer.

  • While most only think of Sergei Zubov as a former NHL defenseman, and soon a Hockey Hall of Famer, he has continued his hockey career overseas as a coach. After hanging up his skates in 2010, Zubov joined the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg as an assistant coach in 2011. He spent five years as an assistant with St. Petersburg and CSKA Moscow before being named head coach of HK Sochi ahead of the 2017-18 season. In two plus seasons, Zubov did not have as much success from the bench as he had on the ice in his playing career. Sochi qualified for the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, but in both years they finished with a negative goal differential, last season they finished below .500 in the regular season, and they were bounced easily in the first round to end both postseason efforts. With just five wins in their first 17 games to begin this season, Sochi has opted for a coaching change. The KHL announced that Sochi has fired Zubov, who will now be left to look elsewhere for coaching work. Perhaps when he is in Toronto for Induction Weekend in November there will be NHL executives with interest in speaking to him about a full-time return to North America. A world-class talent on defense, it’s hard to imagine Zubov staying unemployed for long if he wished to continue coaching.
  • Former New York Islander David Ullstrom is on his way out of the KHL. After spending last season with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners, under contract with the Arizona Coyotes, Ullstrom returned to Europe this season, signing with Dinamo Riga of the KHL. However, he has already parted ways with Riga after playing in just eleven games. EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss NLA has scooped up the free agent forward, announcing that they have signed Ullstrom to a one-year contract. Ullstrom, 30, spent three seasons with the Islanders organization from 2010 to 2013, recording 13 points in 49 NHL games. While his ability was always apparent, the Swedish power forward struggled with puck security and decision-making, leading to a lack of trust at the top level. He has gone on to find success in the KHL and SHL in recent years, but never to the extent expected of him when he was a prospect. Ullstrom performed well with Tuscon last year, recording 23 points in 29 games, and some questioned his decision to return to Europe. He was never recalled by Arizona, but had his foot in the door with the organization. An NHL return seems unlikely now, but a strong season could get him back into AHL or even two-way contract consideration. He likely hopes that his first foray into Swiss hockey will produce a career season and possibly a multi-year deal, as he has played for nine different teams in the seven years since he left the Islanders and has never once spent more than a season and a half in one spot.

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