One more sleep

Sawchuk and Bower the last duo of goaltenders that brought The Leafs to the Promised Land.

Terry, the worry wart, hated if players scored on him during practise.

Johnny Bower, the old man in the cage. Despite playing into his 40's , he managed to win 4 Cups for the Leafs. .

My late uncle referred to him as "Old Porous", referring to his leaky play at times. Well, Uncle Brian, he did really well when it mattered.

One more sleep until we can watch some Leafs-Habs playoff hockey. Thank the baby Jesus. I can't wait.

I doubt I will be able to fall asleep easily tonight. 

The wife will be off visiting her brother in law for the next 2 days, so I will have the house to myself.

I will wake up tomorrow morning and smile because I am a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Auston has to be The Man tomorrow, and in the entire series.

Your best players have to be Your Best Players.

 

Game On !!

The Leafs have some decisions to make

 I know it's been a lomg time between blogs, so I apologise for the lousy picture beside.

It has been a tough year for all of us,no doubt.

 It’s very evident that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas made a major impact at the NHL trade deadline. He was able to address the team’s depth by bringing in a top-six forward, a shutdown centre, a reliable goaltender and a steady defenseman.

It’s great to have this kind of depth, especially when the general manager thinks this is the perfect time for the team to go all-in and win a championship. With the additions of Nick Foligno and Riley Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets, roster decisions are going to have to be made at the forward position.

When the playoffs start, head coach Sheldon Keefe is going to have to ice the best possible lineup in order to have a successful playoff run. This means that some players may have to take a seat as the newly acquired could see more ice time than some currently on the roster. Here are the Maple Leafs whose roster spot is on the line after trade deadline.

Joe Thornton

When the Maple Leafs signed Thornton to a one-year, $700,000 contract, many were excited at the prospect of bringing someone of his caliber in to help be a vocal presence on a young team. As he got older on the San Jose Sharks, he still seemed to play relatively well with the Maple Leafs two youngest stars.

 He has since been demoted seeing time on the third and fourth lines. Thornton’s production has taken a hit in the process after a strong start. He currently has 12 points in 32 games, a 0.38 point per game rate. While we know that his production wouldn’t be where it was previously, the Maple Leafs probably expected more than two assists over his last 21 games played. Thornton saw time with Jason Spezza and Alexander Kerfoot, yet they continue to make an impact as they have 22 and 18 points respectively.

Thornton was recently placed back in the top-six against the Calgary Flames and he did not look good in that role. While the team’s power play has gone cold, he has been ineffective all season despite playing with two elite level players. His age is starting to show as the 41-year-old’s inability to keep up in a fast paced game is evident as he’s always a step behind on the rush or in the offensive zone, no matter what line he is on.

 Once Foligno arrives, he could very well be in a second or third line role, pushing someone like Thornton off the roster. It’ll be difficult for him to keep his spot over someone like Ilya Mikheyev who has speed to burn and is an asset on the penalty kill. Toronto Sun’s Michael Traikos mentions that Maple Leafs have better options and that Thornton isn’t “good enough to warrant a roster spot in this improved lineup.”

Everyone loves Thornton. Who doesn’t? He gives this team a personality and energy that wasn’t present before. Though, they’re going to need to get more out of him. If he can’t find the level of play he had early on, he might be sitting out come playoff time.

 

Wayne Simmonds

Another signing that Maple Leafs fans wanted and got.Waybe Simmonds was brought in to provide grit and toughness needed for when things got rough and we have seen that every game.  

Like Thornton, things were going well for Simmonds at the beginning of the season. He recorded five goals, three of which came on the power play. He was physical and even got in the occasional fight every now and then. It was all going well until he sustained a broken wrist that sidelined him for six weeks.

 Since returning from injury, he has one goal and two assists in 14 games. While the production is low, he has consistently been playing in a fourth line role and has good possession numbers for the season. He has a 52.21 Corsi For percentage and has a high danger goals for percentage of 75% when he is on the ice. But there are some inconsistencies that have stood out in his game recently.

There are times where he makes great plays and gets in on the forecheck. Then there are ones where he has the puck and it amounts to nothing. Even when pursuing the puck, he doesn’t have the speed that was noticeable early on in the season. When the puck is on his stick, it seems like he’s trying to do a bit too much and takes an extra second or two to make a decision and then the play is dead. Plus his presence on the power play, like Thornton, continues to be a problem.

 Simmonds may be safe for now, as the logjam appears to be happening on the left side, putting Thornton’s job in jeopardy. In addition, when William Nylander comes off the COVID-19 list, it could create some movement on the right side. The fact that Mikheyev can be shifted to the right side brings in the idea that he can move down into a fourth line on either side. The possibility of taking Simmonds out of the lineup isn’t entirely out of the question.

 

Pierre Engvall

At the beginning of the season, I mentioned Pierre Engvall’s name as someone who could be battling for a roster spot.  Now, he’s fighting to keep it. 

Engvall earned a contract extension in 2020, signing it in February after having a good rookie season with 15 points in 48 games. We knew that he was going to be seeing minutes as a bottom-six forward, but it seems like he’s taken a step back this season as he has eight points in 35 games and been inconsistent in his overall play. This seemed to be the case from the beginning of camp as Keefe wasn’t happy with his play during an inter-squad game.

While his speed is great, the drive and effort seems to be lacking compared to last season, where he used his size to his advantage to win puck battles. While we’re seeing him going into the corners, he’s not using his big frame to intimidate the opposition. His positioning in his own end and defensive play has also been a concern.

He’s an asset on the penalty kill as he’s proven to be effective in that role. However with the addition of Nash, once he comes off the injured reserve list, the chance of Engvall losing the fourth line centre position just got higher. There’s no doubt that Nash serves as a better option over Engvall up the middle. Both players have similar offensive production, but Nash would serve as a player who wouldn’t be afraid to use his body to make a hit and engage in battles in the offensive zone.

 Engvall could probably be moved to the wing and won’t be relied on heavily up the middle as his struggles have shown. Though he’s still in the same situation as Thornton and Simmonds, as all three lines seem to be set in stone going forward. Though, if there was one forward to still be in the lineup Engvall would provide more value over the other two players.

With the depth that the Maple Leafs have, difficult decisions are going to have to be made when the newly acquired Maple Leafs return to the ice. They look to have a solid top-nine, Thornton, Simmonds or Engvall are going to see their ice time cut. They could be rotated periodically, but the Maple Leafs are at a point where they might be better off without these three players.

 

 

The Leafs

 

This Saturday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens are currently second in the Northern ( Canadian Division ).

Auston Matthews has a consecutive point game streak on the line, but more importantly, they can actually separate themselves from thier nearest rival by 5 points.

The reason that I think that is so important is that they play the following three games at home versus the Ottawa Senators, currently in last place.

If, and I don't want to get too far ahead, but should they take 2 out of 3 games from Ottawa, they should be welcoming back Nick Robertson and Joe Thornton, and be a handful of weeks from getting back up goaltender Jack Campbell back. The result of which will determine the workload on Freddy Anderson, and other veterans on the Leaf squad.

This season has gone incredibly well for Toronto so far, with just 4 of their regulars getting injured.  Wayne Simmonds can then take his time getting back into game shape, and the Leafs can continue to shuffle M. Lehtonen and Rasmus Sandin in and out of the line up, giving rest to the core defense.

There's another western road trip due in March, but there's a chance that it could meet with continued success.

I am wishing them.

Leafs prevail

 Leafs are in fist place in the Canadian Division.

After a hard fought 4-3 win against the Calgary Flames last night. 

Here's how I saw it.

Mitch Marner's been working on his shot and it showed in the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 win Tuesday over the host Calgary Flames.

Marner's quick one-timer amid a crowd of Flames produced the game-winner at 12:14 of the third period.

"Trying to get more of a shot mentality," Marner said.

"I feel like I really want to try and make an extra play most of the time, but this year, trying to be more of a threat and more of a guy that can be more of a consistent shooter on net, and kind of change things up a lot on goalies."

Marner, who also assisted on an Auston Matthews goal Tuesday, continues to vie for the early lead in the NHL points race.

He was tied with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid at five goals and seven assists Tuesday.

Matthews also had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs (6-2-0).

Wayne Simmonds and Travis Boyd scored Toronto's other goals. Frederik Andersen stopped 23-of-26 shots for the win.

Johnny Gaudreau scored twice for Calgary (2-2-1). Milan Lucic also scored for the Flames and Jacob Markstrom stopped 17 shots in the loss.

Calgary's sluggish start forced the hosts to chase Toronto.

Gaudreau's second goal of the game drew Calgary even at 3-3 in the third period, but Marner's deceptive release on a Matthews pass from the boards restored Toronto's lead.

"We did a good regrouping in the second getting ourselves back to an even hockey game, but they win from the inside of our slot.," Calgary head coach Geoff Ward said.

"The guy is standing right between three of our guys and finds a way to get a shot off. You can't give up four goals in this league regularly and expect to win games."

Gaudreau scored top corner from the face-off circle for a power-play goal at 9:03 of the third period.

Calgary outshot the visitors 18-5 in the second period, but still trailed by a goal after two.

A Juuso Valimaki pass caromed off Leaf Alex Kerfoot's skate to Lucic in the slot for him to beat Andersen between the pads at 14:21 of the second period.

Gaudreau halved a two-goal deficit at 1:08, but Boyd restored Toronto's two-goal cushion 61 seconds later.

Pierre Engvall dished to an unchallenged Boyd charging into the slot. Boyd scored his first as a Leaf fishing the puck out of his feet and chipping it over Markstrom.

Unchecked on Andersen's right side, Gaudreau had time to go backhand-forehand on Toronto's goalie.

Toronto outshot the Flames 10-1 and led 2-0 after the opening period. It took nearly 16 minutes for Calgary to register a shot on net.

"That was just an awful first period from us," Gaudreau said. "Not the way we're going to win games, playing catchup the whole game."

Matthews whipped the puck over Markstrom's right shoulder at 14:16 of the first period for a power-play goal.

Simmonds scored his second goal in as many games tucking his own rebound by Markstrom's right toe at 3:44.

Leafs backup goaltender Jack Campbell was replaced in the lineup by Michael Hutchinson.

Campbell's leg was injured in the final minute of Sunday's 3-2 win over the Flames when Matthew Tkachuk fell on him in a goal-mouth scrum.

Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday that Campbell will be sidelined for "weeks".

After enjoying the gentlest schedule to start the season of any team in the all-Canadian North Division, the Flames will now play 21 games in the next 40 days.

Calgary departs on a five-game road trip with two games in Montreal starting Thursday, followed by three games in four days in Winnipeg.

Toronto faces the Oilers on Thursday and Saturday in Edmonton to conclude a four-game road trip.

Notes: The Maple Leafs wore No. 10 patches on their chests in memory of George Armstrong, who captained Toronto to four Stanley Cups in the 1960s and died this week at age 90. Every Leaf wore No. 10 and "Armstrong" on their back during warmup ... Flames winger Dillon Dube was scratched for a second straight game with an upper-body injury.

 The Chief, George Armstrong, # 10.

 

 

 

 

 Hail to the Chief !

George Armstrong, who captained the Toronto Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cups in the 1960s, has died. He was 90.

His death was announced Sunday by the Maple Leafs, who said he died of heart complications, citing his family.

 Armstrong had 296 goals and 417 assists over 21 seasons for the Leafs, including 12 seasons as team captain, and remains the franchise leader in games played. The right wing had 26 goals and 34 assists in 110 playoff games.

Known as the "Chief," Armstrong was one of the first players of Indigenous descent to play professional hockey.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975. Some 41 years later, Armstrong was voted No. 12 on the franchise's list of 100 greatest Maple Leafs in its centennial season.

"George is part of the very fabric of the Toronto Maple Leaf organization and will be deeply missed," Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement.

"A proud yet humble man, he loved being a Maple Leaf, but never sought the spotlight even though no player played more games for Toronto or captained the team longer. Always one to celebrate his teammates rather than himself, George couldn't even bring himself to deliver his speech the day he was immortalized on Legends Row."

Armstrong would become one of a few Leafs honored with a banner at Scotiabank Arena, and his number was retired in October 2016 at the team's centennial anniversary home opener.

In 2015, Armstrong was added to the Leafs' Legends Row. The team released a statement Sunday with the words from Armstrong's unread speech that night.

"Hockey is a great game and I love it. I am part of a fading generation that you will never have again. Every one of us is one of a kind, that will never be repeated. To all of my friends and acquaintances, thank you for your advice and direction, that helped make me who I am today ... a very, very happy person."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman paid tribute Sunday to the former Leafs captain.

"The National Hockey League family is saddened to learn of the passing of George Armstrong," Bettman said in a statement. "For 70 years, he represented his beloved Maple Leafs and the entire NHL with class and distinction as a player, coach, executive and ambassador.

"A humble man and revered leader, Armstrong captained the Leafs for 12 seasons -- including to three straight Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and the stunning 1967 title -- and scored the final goal of the Original Six Era in Game 6 of the '67 Final.

"Our game will miss him dearly."

After retiring in 1971, Armstrong coached the Toronto Marlboros to Memorial Cup victories in 1972-73 and 1974-75 before accepting a scouting position with the Quebec Nordiques in 1978.

He spent nine years with Quebec before returning to Toronto as assistant general manager and scout in 1988. Armstrong served as interim coach for the final 47 games of the 1988-89 season after John Brophy was fired following an 11-20-2 start.

The next year, Armstrong returned to his role as a scout for the Leafs.

Armstrong scored 20 goals four times during his career but was better known for his leadership and work ethic, helping restore the franchise's winning touch. A smart player and talented backchecker, he worked the angles to get the best shot at his opponent and formed a formidable penalty-killing tandem with Hall of Famer Dave Keon.

Born in Bowland's Bay, Ontario, to an Irish father and an Iroquois mother, Armstrong honed his hockey skills near the nickel mines where his father worked.

It was during the Allan Cup tournament in 1950, specifically a visit to the Stoney Indian Reserve in Alberta, that he got his nickname. When the band heard of Armstrong's ancestral background, they made him an honorary member with the name "Chief Shoot-the-Puck" and presented him with a ceremonial headdress.

It was a different era and "The Chief" nickname stuck. Armstrong, who was proud of his mother's heritage, would become the first player of Indigenous descent to score in the NHL.

He spent most of two seasons in Pittsburgh with the Leafs' American Hockey League farm team before making the big league. He made his NHL debut in December 1949 and became a full-time member of the Leafs in time for the start of the 1952-53 season.

Toronto owner and GM Conn Smythe named Armstrong his captain before the 1957-58 season. Smythe would later call Armstrong "the best captain, as a captain, the Leafs have ever had."

The Leafs won the Stanley Cup in 1962, the first of three straight championships.

Armstrong was 36 when the veteran Leafs won the franchise's most recent championship in 1967. His insurance empty-net goal with 47 seconds remaining in the clinching 3-1 Game 6 win was the final goal of the Original Six era.

The 6-foot-1, 204-pounder played a few more seasons but suffered a knee injury during the 1969-70 season that forced him to retire. Armstrong was persuaded to come back for the 1970-71 season before quitting for good at age 40.

 

He will be missed, as an icon of the Maple Leafs.

 

 

 

 

Well hockey returns to my household this Wednesday night as the Maple Leafs take on the blue, blanc et rouge. Meaning their arch rivals , the Montreal Canadiens. My friend JF , who lives in Montreal has always appreciated the romance that this match up brings. He longs for the days when Lafleur would skate wildly down the wing and wind up and send a booming slapshot towards the net, hoping for a goal.

Me, I want to see Davey Keon stick handle and dipsy doodle around a defenceman ( doesn't matter what team ) and deke out the goalie.

Some wish to see John Ferguson duke it out with Eddie Shack, fisticuffs at centre ice. I wouldn't mind to see that brawl either, but the key is Montreal vs Toronto for ice supremacy. 

I have had the unique honour of being in both Montreal Forums, Maple Leaf Gardens, and the Air Canada Centre ( now named the Scotia Bank Arena ), and let me tell you, it is electric when these two teams play one another. Hair stands up on end, fingers tingle, fans try to stay in their seats, straining to see a glimpse of their heroes skate up and down the ice in the name of the best game ever invented.

So, it is my honour to name the All Time Leaf team and the All Time Habs team, my preferences, my favourites.

Montreal will be coached by Toe Blake, assisted by Scotty Bowman, how's that for hall of Fame coaching.

1st Line, at centre Le Gros Bill, Jean Beliveau, at right wing Yvan Cournoyer, and on left wing Guy LaFleur.

The second line will be manned by The pocket rocket , Henri Richard, Bob Gainey and Dick Duff.

The 3rd line will be centered by Elmer Lach, wings are Rocket Richard and Bernie Geoffrion.

On defence, only 6 are on my list, Serge Savard, Doug Harvey, Tom Johnston, J.C. Trembley, Guy Lapointe and Big Larry Robinson.

Tending the twine tent, Ken Dryden, backed up by Patrick Roy.

For the Maple Leafs, their first line will be Dave Keon, Frank Mahovlich and Wendel Clark.

Their second line will be Auston Matthews, Lanny MacDonald and Rick Vaive.

Their 3rd line will be Doug Gilmour, Paul Henderson and George Armstrong

On defence, old Coffee Baron himself Tim Horton, Borje Salming, Allan Stanley, Red Kelly ( I had to to find a spot for the old Redhead) Bobby Baun and Ian Turnbull.

Manning the cord cottage, Johnny Bower and Curtis Joseph.

Oh and the coach will be Ted Kennedy. The ol' Teeder.

Signing the national anthem will be Roger Doucet, and calling the game will be Foster Hewitt and Danny Gallivan.

Enjoy the game JF, as will I.

Twas the Night before Christmas, hockey version

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey, what do you want from me, I have two grandchildren....

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the rink,
The players were stirring, can you smell that hockey stink?
The gloves, pads and skates were hung in the lockers with care,
In hope that the next game soon would be there.
The players were ready, they’ve trained and they’ve bled,
With visions of hat tricks dancing in their heads.

The Zambonis were parked, the sticks were taped,
What a beautiful night for a long winter skate.
When out on the ice there arose such a clatter,
Gloves were dropped, what exactly was the matter?
The fists they flew through the air like a flash,
The blood hit the ice, drop by drop, with a splash.
The combatants were sent to the sin bin for a timeout,
To jaw at each other, to whine and to pout.
They’d get five minutes each, a penance for their sins,
Then come back out and go at it again.
The dekes, sick handles, and slap shots they fly,
But the goalie says, “No!” each and every time.
The game has come down to the last little bit,
The crowd rises to their feet, urging their team not to quit.

Their team gets the puck with one last chance to score,
As the clock ticks downs, they need one goal more.
The puck moves left then right, and rifled down the boards,
The forecheck crashes in with defensemen and forwards.
The puck squirts free, it’s there for the taking,
The home team picks it up and there they go skating.
The goalie, he looks through the steel of his cage,
His weak spots the forward will have to gauge.
The shot flies through the thin winter air,
The puck spinning and twisting, this the goalie must snare.
The goaltender lunges, to his left with the glove,
But the sound of puck hitting twine the crowd would surely love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a thud and a swoosh as the puck hits the net,
The forward wipes his brow of his sweat.
The horn sounds loud for all to hear,
This was the greatest game of the year.
With sticks raised high in salute to the crowd,
The home team has won and wow, it is loud!
The three stars skate out and then head out of sight,
The announcer calls out, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a happy hockey night!”

and drop the puck on January 13th !!

 Merry Christmas , Merry Christmas.

Drop that Puck !!

 

The NHL and NHL Players' Association reached an agreement Sunday to play a 56-game regular season starting Jan. 13, 2021, and ending May 8.

 

"The National Hockey League looks forward to the opening of our 2020-21 season, especially since the Return to Play in 2019-20 was so successful in crowning a Stanley Cup champion," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.

 

 "While we are well aware of the challenges ahead, as was the case last spring and summer, we are continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our participants and the communities in which we live and play. And, as was the case last spring and summer, I thank the NHLPA, particularly Executive Director Don Fehr, for working cooperatively with us to get our League back on the ice."

Formal training camps will begin Jan. 3. There will be no preseason games. The seven teams that did not participate in the 2019-20 Return to Play will be permitted to open their camps as early as Dec. 31.

The 2020-21 season has been delayed due to continuing concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

Under the agreement, the Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature 16 teams in a best-of-7, four-round format and conclude around mid-July with the plan of returning to a normal hockey calendar for the 2021-22 season (regular season beginning in October). The NHL and NHLPA will release the 2020-21 schedule for each team, health and safety protocols, transition rules and a calendar of critical dates in the coming days.

Games will be within realigned divisions only, including a division of the seven teams based in Canada. In reaching agreement on the format for the 2020-21 season, the NHL and NHLPA determined that the ongoing closure of the United States-Canada border required realignment and also sought to minimize travel as much as possible by shifting to exclusively intradivisional play.

Each team in the East, Central and West divisions will play every other team in its division eight times, and each team in the North Division (Canada teams) will play every other team in its division nine or 10 times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Get on with games, already, I have beer in the fridge getting old by the second.

The top four teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs. The first two rounds will be intradivisional, with the first-place team playing the fourth-place team and the second-place team facing the third-place team in the first round. The four teams that advance from the second round to the Semifinal Round will be seeded by their points total in the regular season (No. 1 vs. No. 4; No. 2 vs. No. 3).

The current plan is to play games in teams' home arenas with the understanding that fans will not be permitted to attend in most, at least in the initial part of the season. But depending on prevailing conditions, the NHL will be prepared to play games in one or more neutral venues per division should it become necessary.

 

 

The NHL and NHLPA have had to adjust to government regulations at all levels, from restrictions at the Canada-United States border to local limits on gatherings, and the coronavirus situation in each of the markets for the 31 NHL teams. The agreement includes health and safety protocols.

The last game of last season was played Sept. 28, when the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars 2-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

"The players are pleased to have finalized agreements for the upcoming season, which will be unique but also very exciting for the fans and players alike," Fehr said. "During these troubled times, we hope that NHL games will provide fans with some much needed entertainment as the players return to the ice."

He shoots he scores, that's what I want to hear.   That one's for you Billy !

Boil up some soup

 

 

Souper Man has re signed. Break out the Campbells soup/

Fewer than 24 hours before Wednesday’s scheduled arbitration case, restricted free agent Ilya Mikheyev and the Toronto Maple Leafs  found common ground — although it did mean a last-minute financial concession on the player’s part.

The Russian winger and the club agreed to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $1.645 million that will see Mikheyev skate in blue and white through the 2021-22 season and walk him directly to unrestricted free agency at age 27.

“Ilya decided to step off a little bit from an already agreed number to help the team fit under the cap,” Mikheyev’s agent, Dan Milstein, told Sportsnet after tweeting news of the signing Tuesday night.

“For Ilya, it was less about the money, but more about the role in the organization. He wishes to win the Stanley Cup. It's been a lifelong dream.”

Mikheyev’s two-year pact carries a $1.1 million salary in 2020-21 and $2.19 million in 2021-22.

 According to Milstein, the sides had initially agreed to a cap hit higher than $1.645 million.

The agent was on the phone explaining the bridge deal’s terms to Mikheyev when the Maple Leafs quickly called back requesting the forward take slightly less so they could be cap compliant for 2021’s opening night.

The Leafs and Mikheyev discussed the sophomore’s position in a winger-loaded roster “extensively” during the negotiations, which had been ongoing for weeks.

“We know what they have going. We know what the goals are. Toronto and both camps communicated very clearly,” Milstein said. “We feel very comfortable about the next season, and Ilya is very excited about the next season as well.”

The 26-year-old Mikheyev — fast a fan favourite — appeared in only 39 games as a rookie with the Maple Leafs in 2019-20, scoring eight goals and adding 15 assists.

Returning for post-season action after suffering a gruesome wrist injury in late December, Mikheyev failed to register a point during the club’s five-game playoff qualification series versus Columbus.

“He would’ve liked to help the team get past Columbus, but overall this was a good first-year experience for him,” Milstein said. “He’s adjusted. He’s adapted. And I expect him to have a better season next year.”

The Russian elected to file for salary arbitration to buy time, and a deadline, for his first North American negotiation.

Mikheyev filed for one year at $2.7 million; the Leafs requested two years at $1 million.

 

But, Milstein maintains, the strongest efforts on both sides were focused on a two-year pact that would provide Mikheyev and his family a little more certainty in uncertain times and give the Leafs smart value through his RFA years.

 

 

The player affectionately known as “Mickey” to his teammates and “Souperman” to fans stayed up to the wee hours in Russia, where he’s training, in order to finalize the paperwork.

 “The first season didn’t go as well as planned, due to the injury, but it was never a question of whether he was coming back or not,” Milstein said. “He stayed up through the night, and we took care of business.”

 Milstein has a tight working relationship with general manager Kyle Dubas and the Maple Leafs.

The agent is quick to note that 12 of his players have been welcomed into the Toronto system over the past three years, including winger Egor Korshkov (currently on loan to Yaroslav Lokomotiv of the KHL), 2020 first-round pick Rodion Amirov, and recent import Alexnader Barbanov

 

“While we were negotiating (Mikheyev’s contract) and perhaps disagreeing a little bit, I had to stop and talk to (the Leafs) about another player,” Milstein said.

“We try to have good relationships with everybody, but a client comes first.”

Barabanov, 26, will join Mikheyev in trying to secure ice time from coach Sheldon Keefe in a competitive forward group that has added Wayne Simmonds, Joe Thornton, Jimmy Vesey, Joey Anderson and Travis Boyd since free agency opened.

Barabanov flew to Toronto in early September and is preparing for his first North American campaign on this side of the pond.

Make no mistake: Like Mikheyev before him, Barabanov has his sights in the NHL, not the AHL.

“I feel good about his prospects. He's a world-class player,” Milstein said. “I'm not a coach. I'm not going to make any predictions. But I feel good about it. You can quote me on that. I feel good about it. Barabanov is an Olympic champion.

“He is a phenomenal player, and I expect him to do well here in North America.”

With Mikheyev signed, the Maple Leafs only need to reach agreements with RFAs Travis Dermott and Anderson.

 I am partial to Clam Chowder myself.  Bring on Souperman, he make us proud.

Leafs future European Imports

With the OHL and AHL currently shut down, hockey fans – and the Toronto Maple Leafs – have to go overseas for their hockey fix.

While most Leafs players and prospects are currently not playing, there are two players who are:Egor Korshgov, a second round pick from 2016 who has played one NHL game so far,  and  Mikko Lehtonen who the Leafs signed as a free-agent last summer.  Let’s take a look at how each player is doing so far in the KHL.

 

Egor Korshkov – KHL – Lokomotiv

Due to the NHL season not starting until January 1st at the earliest, Korshkov is making the most out of the delay, by playing over in the KHL. The 24-year-old native of Novosibirsk, Russia is currently playing for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

So far, this season he has recorded six goals and six assists for 12 points in 15 games. Being able to play right now should be beneficial to Korshkov when the Toronto Maple Leafs  training camp starts. The 6’4, 181 Lbs right-winger will try to land a spot in the NHL, although with the recent depth the Leafs added, he is a long shot to make the team.

Korshkov will have plenty of competition in training camp as the Maple Leafs have a lot of players vying for roles in the lineup. he will have to hope that by playing right now and being in game shape when camp starts, gives him the edge.

 

 

Mikko Lehtonen – KHL – Jokerit

Lehtonen was a highly coveted free agent defenseman from the KHL when he chose to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to becoming a free agent, Lehtonen had a very good season with Jokerit in the KHL where he was named defenseman of the year. He recorded 17 goals and 32 assists for 49 points in 60 games.

The thought is that he will be able to challenge for lineup spot on the Maple Leafs blue line. He can play both the left and right side effectively, which will come in handy if and when injuries arise.

Just like Korshkov, Lehtonen is using the NHL season delay to get playing time in the KHL to start this season. So far this season he has six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 12 games. He is hoping that by playing meaningful hockey right now, he will have an advantage when the Toronto Maple Leafs open up training camp.

I have watched Korshkov play with the Marlies and I like his game. I would love to see him make it on to the Maple Leafs this season. As for Lehtonen, I don’t know if he will be in the top four, but he should for sure make the team. whether that is as the 5th, 6th or 7th defenseman remains to be seen for now.

 Now we wait for the Commissionier to formally announce the beginning of the new season.

Thornton comes home

 

 

Joe Thornton was probably sound asleep under the Swiss Alps, resting up to open up his 24th professional hockey season, when the CN Tower alit in teal.

The colour long associated with the heart and soul of the San Jose Sharks— all their hopes and disappointments, fun times and funky beards — reflected across his brand-new NHL stomping ground, the one closest to his boyhood house in St. Thomas, Ont.

A Jumbo homecoming signalling Jumbo expectations. And it only required a minimum-wage salary. One year, $700,000 (free of 35-plus performance bonuses), and one more shot at the Stanley Cup dream Thornton has been hunting down for 41 years, 106 days and counting.

His ardent pursuers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, have been chasing the thing for 53 years, 164 days and counting.

Their mutual but separate quest, painfully futile for so long, will unite in 2020-21.

The NHL’s active leader in assists (1,089) and points (1,509) signed on to join the NHL’s active leader in heartbreak and hype.

Whether this whole thing ends in a parade or in shambles, who knows?

Either way, it’s a helluva story. And one singed with historical symmetry.

On Sept. 17, 1997, the same day Thornton registered his first-ever point in an NHL uniform (during a Bruins pre-season game), Auston Matthews was born.

Then there’s this: Thornton just happens to be the last active player to have scored a goal at Maple Leaf Gardens.

 Financially, the Thornton contract is a small swing, on par with the organization’s Travis Boyd and Denis Malgin signings. (Fun fact: Calle Rosen can strut Ford Performance Centre this season knowing his paycheques are larger than that of a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.)

Emotionally, it’s a big deal — and one long in the works.

The Maple Leafs first pitched a UFA Thornton to sign alongside close friend Patrick Marleau back in the summer of 2017, with Mike Babcock and Lou Lamoriello pushing the upside of guiding their young, hyper-talented core.

Loyal Thornton instead stuck around San Jose until it became plain the Cup would no longer be within reach if he stayed put.

So, when Thornton expressed disappointment after being left untraded to a contender at the 2019 deadline, pulling him out of teal was worth another attempt.

GM Kyle Dubas called a week ago, when free agency opened last Friday. Coach Sheldon Keefe, too. Then the players encouraged one of hockey’s all-time most beloved characters and deftest passers to join the cause. Jake Muzzin. John Tavares. Matthews. Maybe more.

Thornton mulled it over. He texted back and forth with Marleau.

And when he decided to jump the Sharks, he called his longtime teammates — Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture, Brent Burns, probably more — and explained his decision. All class.

“Somebody that inspires everybody around him,” Dan Rusanowsky, San Jose’s play-by-play voice on KFOX 98.5 FM told Sportsnet 590 The Fan Friday.

“He’s going to help the Maple Leafs quite a lot, and he’ll be at the best when it matters the most.”

 

“He loves bringing everybody together,” Marleau told Good Show Friday.

“He does keep himself in great shape, and I think one thing that's always a constant in his game is the size and reach, the way he can protect pucks and obviously his vision, and none of that has changed over his career.”

What has changed with Thornton is what changes with everyone who lives as long and tries as hard.

He has slowed down, considerably.

Which is to be expected after 1,636 regular-season NHL games and another 179 playoff contests; 73 games and counting in the Swiss League with HC Davos because he never takes a lockout or a pandemic to vacation; plus dozens more representing Team Canada on the national stage.

Thornton’s 2019-20 stat line — seven goals, 31 points, minus-19 rating, 49.4-per cent faceoff wins in 70 games — provides ammo to those who believe this could be last-legs Jaromir Jagr in Calgary all over again (one goal, six assists, 22 games, flight to Kladno).

If Zdeno Chara, currently undecided, doesn't play, Thornton will become the oldest guy in the NHL.

But the Thornton-to-Leafs signing isn’t so much about him swiping a few more draws or popping a few more apples on the second power-play unit than Alexander Kerfoot.

 

It’s about character and culture. A room that needed shaking up, lightening up, perhaps smartening up.

And Dubas’s aggressive approach to crib from the Tampa Bay Lightning blueprint and surround his superstars with the right attitude on the fringes. Experienced yet hungry.

Guys who know what it takes to win playoff rounds 1, 2 and 3 — and how it feels to lose Round 4.

We remember Keefe revealing something very telling about the Maple Leafs’ dynamic amidst the roller-coaster 2019-20 when the coach was asked about Jason Spezza, and it had nothing to do with on-ice action.

“He’s been a great voice in the locker room and on the bench. You know, we don’t have a lot of guys that are overly vocal on the bench and talk a lot,” Keefe said. “He’s got a great rapport with the referees and linesmen. Those things make a difference for a young team like ours.”

Like Spezza, Wayne Simmonds and Zach Bogosian before him, Thornton is coming here to calm the nerves, steel the fragile, and read the room.

Leadership without letters.

“I like helping out the younger guys. I was born to play hockey, and I’ll play as long as I can, as long as I’m healthy,” Thornton told My Channel this week between tune-up sessions with HC Davos.

“I just love playing hockey. I really do. I have a passion for the sport.”

Joe Thornton has come home,

 

Where's Hockey ?

 

 

So here we are in mid-October and nobody’s playing hockey.

Actually, that’s not entirely true. Joe Thornton is voting with his feet and is off to skate with Davos in the Swiss league. It’s really here in North America where the days of fall seem pretty empty without the beginning of a new hockey season. No NHL. Major junior hockey is shut down. U Sports hockey isn’t happening.

The Greater Toronto Hockey League, the largest minor hockey operation on the planet, is dormant. Some girls’ hockey teams are practising, but plans to play in four-on-four bubbles have been put on hold. My Friday morning game with the Lorne Park crew has been cancelled for the year.

Everything seems a little backward. The leaves are falling, hockey is on the shelf, there’s no Grey Cup on the horizon, but yet The Masters is coming up in four weeks.

 

When it comes to the world of hockey, the optimism of seeing the bubbled Stanley Cup playoffs succeed is now subsiding, and the understanding is setting in that the entire industry is staggering under the unrelenting pressure of Covid 19. 

 The honest-to-Bill-Gadsby belief that the good ol’ NHL could conquer all because hockey is wonderful has now run headlong into reality. It’s like a giant cosmic payback for taking the game from the great outdoors where it was born and moving it almost entirely indoors. You know. Where the virus is most comfortable.

Interestingly, some of the strongest indicators about the fearful way in which the NHL is imagining its future emanated from Las Vegas over the past week. The Golden Knights signed the top free agent on the market, defenceman Alex Pietrangelo, to a seven-year contract worth $8.8 million (U.S.) per season.

 In normal times, this would have been a healthy sign for the league. Teams pursuing talent. Stars getting paid. An indication business was good.

But because of the flat salary cap created by the coronavirus, the Knights had to dump two good veterans. Pietrangelo was one of a very limited group of players who did particularly well in free agency. He was probably the only player to truly hit a home run.

 

 By comparison, this year has been mostly a free-agent fizzle. Jakob Markstrom and Kevin Shattenkirk did fairly well, as did Torey Krug. Players like T.J. Brodie and Tyler Toffoli got new deals, but for pretty much the same money. Significant names like Braden Holtby, Henrik Lundqvist, Corey Crawford and Justin Schultz took sizable pay cuts.

Tyson Barrie, a $5.5-million player two years ago, is now on a one-year contract at $3.75 million. Bobby Ryan has gone from being a $7-million player in Ottawa to a $1-million player in Detroit. Kyle Turris was making $6 million per in Nashville; now he’s making $1.65 million in Edmonton. Many well-known players don’t have new contracts at all.

Compare that with the previous free agency “frenzy” in July, 2019. Players like Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene hit the jackpot, all with seven-year contracts. Mats Zuccarello and Tyler Myers, neither an all-star, both got $30 million over five years.

This is not normal for the NHL. This isn’t the market. This is something else.

The other news out of Vegas, meanwhile, was an honest assessment by owner Bill Foley on the immediate future of the league. This was particularly useful since we rarely hear from actual owners these days other than Eugene Melnyk.

While NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been talking confidently of starting up again Jan. 1, Foley says he can’t see it happening before February. Even then, Foley says, it would have to be a reduced schedule that must be finished by the end of June, playoffs and all, because rightsholder NBC has the Summer Olympics in July. Foley said NHL owners are “very nervous” about the future.

 

The Leafs add some new buds

 

 

Though many people thought that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be inactive in free agency due to salary cap pressures, the exact opposite has proven to be true.

On Friday the Leafs signed top pairing defenseman T.J Brodie, as well as veteran Wayne Simmonds to replace Kyle Clifford on the fourth line.  On Saturday the Leafs sent Andreas Johnsson to the New Jersey Devils in order to clear salary to help pay for Brodie.  In return for Andersen the Leafs got a decent prospect in Joey Anderson.

 Also on the Saturday the Leafs signed depth options Zach Bogosian and Travis Boyd. As if that wasn’t enough, the Leafs signed UFA Jimmy Vesey on Sunday.

Drafted in the third round of the 2012 draft by Nashville, Vesey never ended up signing with them and became a free agent after four years at Harvard.  He signed with the Rangers, where he played three years.

Last year he went to Buffalo and now the Leafs have signed him.  He’s a big winger who consistently put up either 16 or 17 goals in each of his first three NHL seasons, until this last year when he scored nine in the shortened season.

 Vesey doesn’t seem to have very good on-ice stats, but he has always played on lousy teams.  The Toronto Maple Leafs must see something in him, and the depth scoring is always an asset.

For 900 K you can’t really go wrong.

 As you can see from the chart, Vesey can score but can’t really defend.  No big deal, as a fourth line winger, you usually don’t get both.  The Leafs can now put Vesey into a mix that includes Robertson, Barabanov, Engvall, Spezza, Simmonds, Anderson,  Boyd, Agostino, Korshkev, Petan, Hallander, Malgin and Brooks and maybe a few rookies for ice time this year.

That is excellant depth  as it is 13 players, all of whom are more than likely perfectly fine on any 4th line in the NHL, competing for five jobs.  In reality, those five jobs will most likely go to Robertson, Barabanov, Engvall, Spezza and Simmonds, but the other guys will serve important functions as injury replacements and job competition.

 

 

The NHL is likely going to play some for of insanely condensed schedule next season and all these players will come in handy.  The important thing is that he Leafs are set to have one player in the bottom half of their forward group making over $1.5 million.

To have the kind of depth they do – 13 NHL players for five spots – at the price they’ve paid for it is exactly why they had the confidence to spend most of their money on a core group of elite players.  If you look around the NHL, you’ll see that most teams don’t have anywhere near this kind of depth or skill in their bottom six, and they are almost all paying more for it.

The draft should have held in Europe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just over a week after the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup, the first major step of the offseason came to an end with the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft on Tuesday. The New York Rangers won the NHL Draft Lottery earlier this summer and used the pick to select Quebec Major Junior Hockey League star Alexis Lafreniere.

 

Lafreniere has spent the last three seasons starring for Rimouski Océanic. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2017 QMJHL Draft and burst onto the scene with 42 goals in 60 games. To put that into perspective, Lafreniere had the highest number of goals in a rookie season since Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby scored 54 for Rimouski Oceanic in 2004. In his three seasons in the QMJHL, Lafreniere has accumulated 297 points (114 goals & 183 assists) and blossomed into one of the most dangerous young players in the world.

 

Many believe that Lafreniere is a generational talent that will become one of the NHL's biggest stars sooner rather than later. The Rangers will look to pair Lafreniere with a nucleus that already includes the likes of Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad.

 

Rounding out the top five was Quinton Byfield, who became the highest drafted black player in NHL history when the Los Angeles Kings selected him No. 2 overall, German international Tim Stutzle, who got drafted by the Senators, Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings) and top American prospect Jake Sanderson (Senators).

 

 

Here are the complete results of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft

Round 1

 

1. New York Rangers: Alexis Lafrenière, LW 
2. Los Angeles Kings: Quinton Byfield, C
3. Ottawa Senators (from Sharks): Tim Stutzle, LW
4. Detroit Red Wings: Lucas Raymond, LW
5. Ottawa Senators: Jake Sanderson, D
6. Anaheim Ducks: Jamie Drysdale, D
7. New Jersey Devils: Alexander Holtz, RW
8. Buffalo Sabres: Jack Quinn, RW
9. Minnesota Wild: Marco Rossi, C
10. Winnipeg Jets: Cole Perfetti, C
11. Nashville Predators: Yaroslav Askarov, G
12. Florida Panthers: Anton Lundell, C
13. Carolina Hurricanes (from Leafs): Seth Jarvis, C
14. Edmonton Oilers: Dylan Holloway, C
15. Toronto Maple Leafs (from Penguins): Rodion Amirov, LW
16. Montreal Canadiens: Kaiden Guhle, D
17. Chicago Blackhawks: Lukas Reichel, LW
18. New Jersey Devils (from Coyotes): Dawson Mercer, C
19. New York Rangers (from Flames): Braden Schneider, D
20. New Jersey Devils (from Lightning via Canucks): Shakir Mukhamadullin, D
21. Columbus Blue Jackets: Yegor Chinakhov, RW
22. Washington Capitals (from Flames via Rangers via Hurricanes): Hendrix Lapierre, C
23. Philadelphia Flyers: Tyson Foerster, RW
24. Calgary Flames (from Capitals): Connor Zary, C
25. Colorado Avalanche: Justin Barron, D
26. St. Louis Blues: Jake Neighbours, LW
27. Anaheim Ducks (from Bruins): Jacob Perreault, RW
28. Ottawa Senators (from Islanders): Ridly Greig, C
29. Vegas Golden Knights: Brendan Brisson, C
30. Dallas Stars: Mavrik Bourque, C
31. San Jose Sharks (from Lightning): Ozzy Wiesblatt, RW

 So many non OHL players were taken, you would think that they they all have the virus, no, they just could have the virus. 

I am not Don Cherry, not even Brian Burke, but you'd think more GM's would have stopped and thought about the talent right under their noses.

The Leafs top ten list

 

The last two offseasons have been dominated by the signing of one big contract for the Leafs. 

This year is more complex, and more likely to be filled with a series of minor moves as the puzzle pieces get shifted around to create whatever final form Kyle Dubas has in mind for the team.

Dubas got an early start with the Kasperi Kapanen trade landing very early in the playoffs, but there’s a lot more to be done. GMs don’t always get to decide what order things happen in, however; deadlines always shape their thinking to some extent.

October 9 is the likely date for free agency to begin, and that’s the big deadline. The other is October 6 when Qualifying Offers to RFAs are due, with a lot needing to happen in those three day, the to-do list goes something list:

1. With Kapanen gone, his replacement on the PK and on the wing, Ilya Mikheyev, needs a contract. He’s an RFA with arbitration rights, so if he wants to push it, that could delay the final number on his deal until November. Brendan Shanahan sent a message in his post-season presser when he talked about how it’s not fair, but a poor playoffs will affect his contract. Dubas will want this sorted out more quickly and with a team friendly result. The QO is only $874,125, but the final deal seems likely to be one million - something. The tricky part is the something. I expect this signing any day now, but you never know.
   
2. Newly acquired Evan Rodrigues needs a deal done before the QO is due because the Leafs aren’t going to get trapped into paying him either $2 million or an arbitration award. They didn’t take him in trade with the plan to just dump him, however. His deal might be the very next thing resolved, too, because if he wants to play on his hometown team, he has to know he needs to make a deal now that will let him prove that arbitrator’s award of $2 million wasn’t grossly inflated by ice time on a bad team. One year takes him to UFA status, so a cheap show-me contract could pay off for him next year. His alternative is to become a UFA one year early coming off a very bad season, so I think he’ll play ball.
3. Travis Dermott could get signed before the QO goes out too. His salary amount is the same as Mikheyev’s, it’s just one-way instead of two-way.I think its in his inetrests just to takethat one-yrqualifing offer, but he might want the security of a two-year deal now. It’s also not going to be large, and he has to decide how much he wants to play for the Leafs for the next couple of years. I don’t believe there’s any good reason for the Leafs to set out to trade him, but they aren’t likely to say no to a deal that includes him if it’s in their interests.
4. There’s other RFAs to sign, notably Denis Malgin and Frederik Gauthier. Gauthier is likely to sign a two-year minimum salary deal, which would make his AAV less than his salary in year two, something cap-strapped teams like. (Teemu Kivihalme’s deal is exactly this.) Malgin didn’t stick very well in the lineup after arriving in trade, and while he has arbitration rights, you can’t take a record like his to arbitration and come out the winner like Rodrigues did. He has had some good results in very limited usage in the past, and some fans like him because he’s the type of player they want to see on the ice, but he couldn’t take a lineup spot from Nic Petan, and that’s pretty much the recipe for a cheap depth deal or a flight back to Switzerland.
5. Jason Spezza is likely to be re-signed, but there’s not a lot of time pressure to do that right away.
6. Dubas has to decide if he wants Kyle Clifford or not. He should. He would likely announce ahead of the free agent date if the answer is no so Clifford can get other teams interested.
7. There are a host of NHL-contracted AHLers expiring as UFAs, and with Dubas on the AHL’s Return to Play committee, he will know how much effort he and Laurence Gilman need to put into sorting out the AHL roster. Normally that happens in the spring as college and junior players graduate off of teams, and then heats up just as training camp starts. This year, it feels like this might be a very last minute job.
8. Two AHLers are RFAs. One is Max Veronneau, whose arbitration rights coming off his ELC at 24 and his skill in the AHL make him worth signing early for something, maybe even his Qualifying Offer amount of $874,125. The other is Jeremy Bracco, who is at a crossroads in his career, and I can’t predict what will happen to him.
9. You may have heard that Dubas needs to find a defenceman. I’m not sure if that should be number one here or the last thing on the list, but it’s really what all the rest of this list is about. All of these peripheral players need to be squeezed, to be blunt, to make room for someone who matters a lot more. Someone who is at least better than Holl and approaching Jake Muzzin’s ability if not even better.
10. Dubas does not need to find more depth third pairing guys. There are at least nine NHL-probable defenders on the roster. That’s plenty at the bottom end. He doesn’t need to morph Dermott into a right-shooter of the same ability, either, because it’s just not enough of a difference to matter. If there are borderline top-four defenders out there like Dermott who can be had for low cap hits, that’s worth pursuing, but cheap depth is not the job here. A difference-maker is.

 

I am hopelessly optimistic about our chances, but I've been wrong more than I've been right. But with th right moves, we stand a better chance.

Canuckle Heads beat the Golden Knights

 

 

Thatcher Demko made 42 saves in his first Stanley Cup Playoff start, and the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 in Game 5 to extend their Western Conference Second Round series at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Tuesday.

"It's special ... it's my first time being in the playoffs," Demko said. "It's a unique circumstance (with goalie Jacob Markstrom being unfit to play), but playoffs nonetheless, and this is what I've wanted to be a part of since I was a kid, so being able to get this opportunity is super special. I want to just keep helping any way I can."

Brock Boeser and Elias Peterson scored, and J.T. Miller had two assists for the Canucks, the No. 5 seed in the West.

Shea Theodore scored, and Robin Lehner made 15 saves for the Golden Knights, the No. 1 seed.

"We just have to take a look at some video," Theodore said. "There were some mistakes that ended up in the back of our net, and those can't happen this time of year. We just kind of have to refocus and get ready for the next one."

Pettersson, who was the center on a line with Miller and Boeser in the third period, gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead on a deflection in front of Lehner at 3:19 of the third period.

Pettersson has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in his past 14 games.

"We're been playing with each other all season, we have good chemistry, and I think it was good that we switched up the lines because the first two periods weren't good from our side," Pettersson said. "The coach made some changes, and it worked out."

 

Demko, a rookie, is the 15th goalie in NHL history, and second in two nights, to make his first NHL playoff start and win when his team was facing elimination. Michael Hutchinson did the same for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 against the Dallas Stars on Monday.

 

"I think at this point you rely on the work you put in," Demko said. "I've been doing my thing in practice, making sure my details were where they needed to be. It's different than a game, but everything you see in a game, you've seen at some point in practice, and you just have to rely on that."

Markstrom (8-6-0) started the first 14 postseason games for Vancouver. As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

Canucks coach Travis Green did not have an update on Markstrom's availability for Game 6.

"We'll see where he's at tomorrow," he said.

Lehner was back in net for Vegas afterMarc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves in a 5-3 win in Game 4 on Sunday, the second of a back-to-back.

"Demko had a good game," Lehner said. "I thought Vancouver played a little bit better defensively to limit our odd-man rushes against them. I think they played five guys pretty tight and kept us to the outside. We had our moments where we really pushed and got some good opportunities, and [Demko] was there to save them. We just have to go to the next game, and we'll be fine."

 Theodore went backhand to forehand down the slot before scoring on a wrist shot at 15:12 of the second period to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead. It was the 25th shot against Demko.

Boeser tied the game 1-1 on a deflection in the slot off a pass from Miller at 15:36.

It was Boeser's first goal of the series and fourth of the postseason.

"I know I haven't been scoring and I know I need to score goals, but I've been trying to bring my work ethic each and every game and contribute something to the team," Boeser said. "It was nice to get one, it'll definitely help the confidence."

Defenseman Quinn Hughes had an assist on the goal to set the NHL record for assists by a rookie defenseman in a single postseason (13).

"I think we got a really good team, we know that," Hughes said. "The coaching staff believes in us, and most importantly we believe in ourselves. We have good leadership, we knew we didn't play well in the first two periods, knew we had to push a little bit.

"The next game, it'll be important to do that for 60 minutes. But there's a lot of faith in the group. We know they're a good team, but we know we're a good team too."

 The Golden Knights lost for the first time when scoring first in the postseason (8-1-0).

The Leafs are constructed poorly, and the fault is Kyle Dubas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncle.

Enough.

It’s time.

The Toronto Maple Leafs need defencemen.

Plural.

And, God bless Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren, but they need some defencemen who are proven.

Yes, that means they might cost more than $700,000. Yes, that means subtracting some cap-allotted dollars from the most expensive forward brigade in the sport.

Do you know what the NHL’s top nine defensive teams in 2019-20 all have in common?

They’re all alive and well in the playoffs. The real ones that start Tuesday. That group includes the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Do you know what the bottom 10 defensive teams in 2019-20 all have in common?

They’re all eliminated. That group includes the Maple Leafs, who lost Sunday’s decisive Game 5 by a score of 3-0.

They were also up 3-0 in a pivotal Game 3 and could not lock it down.

 

We’ve beat this drum before, like on the night Mitch Marner signed a contract rich enough to give Kyle Dubas’s lottery-bound squad the top three highest-salaried forwards in hockey. But circumstances have changed.

First and foremost, Dubas’s hefty financial commitments to John Tavares, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Marner were all made on the (very reasonable) assumption that the salary cap would not only continue to rise with each passing Canada Day but that it could take a dramatic spike when the next U.S. broadcast deal kicked in.

That, of course, is no longer the case. The cap will remain flat until the virus decides otherwise.

Second, instead of taking a step forward, the Leafs — as a whole — have stumbled back. More than half the NHL is still bubbled up and battling for the Stanley Cup. They are not.

The Nazem Kadri trade, though explainable at the time, was a whiff. When push came to shove, rookie coach Sheldon Keefe took Tyson Barrie off the No. 1 power-play unit and replaced him with Morgan Rielly. Alexander Kerfoot’s third line wasn’t awful, but he and Kasperi Kapanen were both handed nice raises last summer. Neither scored a playoff goal, despite Keefe’s proclamation that he expected production throughout the lineup.

During the regular season, Toronto has been one of the most dangerous clubs at even strength that money can buy.

The post-season is a different beast. One that has gnawed on this core for four years in a row, no matter who’s behind the bench or how much ice time the stars are handed.

As the buzzer sounded in their hollow home Sunday night and Toronto joined the budget-conscious, punchline Florida Panthers as the only two franchises of the salary-cap era yet to survive a single playoff series, a few snapshots spoke volumes:

• A white-knuckle sequence in the D-zone where both Tavares and Matthews were scrambling around without sticks in their hands, trying to get into shot lanes.

• Matthews, Marner and Tavares bent over their sticks, gasping for breath after playing 21-plus minutes apiece and still failing to score a fourth even-strength goal for Toronto over five games.

• A dour Matthews — arguably the series MVP in a losing cause — bluntly saying he didn’t have an answer for the trend he saw in the core’s 0-for-4 performance in elimination series.

• And Keefe praising the Blue Jackets’ forwards for being so good. The coach also brought up luck, which is seldom a good look. 

A little more luck, and it might be a different result,” Keefe said, noting his team scored on fewer than two per cent of its shots 5-on-5.

 

Because Dubas built his roster as the counter argument to “defence wins championships,” Keefe spent three months of quarantine and the entirety of reset camp tweaking his system and urging his players to buy into improved own-zone play by all five guys.

For the most part, it worked. The Leafs did a decent job keeping Columbus out of the danger areas and shut the Jackets out in Game 2. Yet it came at the expense of their identity, their strength.

The roster isn’t balanced, so it has fallen to two coaches and some ill-equipped personnel to mask that imbalance.

“I’ll be thinking about this one for a while,” a sombre Keefe said post-game.

The Leafs will pack their Louis bags and carry a 5-on-5 goal drought of 182:46 worth of game clock into 2020-21.

With no Plan B when the sticks go cold, a desperate Keefe tried to make William Nylander a centre. He bumped one of the game’s best forecheckers, Zach Hyman, to Line 2, and stacked his top line. He threw surprise Andreas Johnsson into the mix, even though the winger hadn’t played since before Valentine’s Day.

The coach second-guessed his own decisions and deviated from the centre depth that was supposed to attack in unrelenting waves.

That’s what solid, committed defences do to their opponents. They frustrate them. Make ’em blink.

“We can’t lose sight of who we are as a team,” Keefe said prior to Game 1, prophetically. “We need to be really good

Conversely, John Tortorella’s group rolled out a trusted game plan night after night.

No secrets to the recipe: Hard work. Heart. Two good goalies. And plenty of quality defencemen who couldn’t care less about their point totals.

“We’re not changing,” Tortorella said of Game 4’s epic collapse. “We pissed it away on a couple of bad plays and just within a couple of minutes, [but] we thought we played a good game. We’re going to go play the same way.”

“May the best team win,” Jackets captain Nick Foligno wished pre-game.

It did.

Not only did Toronto’s regular-season deficiencies on the blueline have Keefe and the Leafs second-guessing their own game plan, but the loss of Jake Muzzin — the club’s best pure defender — for Games 3, 4 and 5 underscored an organizational crisis.

If you truly have Stanley Cup expectations, one injured defenceman should not be a critical blow against a middle-of-the-pack opponent.

For 2020-21, Dubas has already committed $52 million to NHL forwards. On defence? Just $15 million.

That gap has to close. The books need a little balance. The Maple Leafs’ blue line is crying for more depth.

It’s time.

Enough.

Uncle.

Somewhere Mike Babock is smiling.

 

 

Maricin in for Muzzin, oh now

Martin Marincin will replace Jake Muzzin in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup for Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Qualifiers series against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

Muzzin is out for the rest of the best-of-5 series after the defenseman was hospitalized following an injury late in the third period of Game 2.

"Marincin is going to go in for sure and take on some of that responsibility that Muzzin had for us and we'll make a further decision from there," Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said Wednesday.

The No. 8 seed Maple Leafs evened the series with a 3-0 win against the No. 9 seed Blue Jackets. The series winner advances to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Marincin skated on a pair with Tyson Barrie at practice Wednesday, and Travis Dermott was paired with Justin Holl, Muzzin's usual partner. Dermott played with Holl during the regular season when Muzzin was out of the lineup with a broken hand, sustained against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 25.

Keefe said he is considering whether to use seven defensemen in Game 3. If so, rookie Rasmus Sandin would make his NHL postseason debut.

"We're still talking about it, haven't made any final decision on what we are going to do there," Keefe said. "We've tried different things when we'd lost Muzzin before and went with seven defensemen. We're going to discuss it throughout the day and make the decision we think is best."

Muzzin was released from the hospital overnight and is at a hotel in Toronto, the Eastern Conference hub city. He was taken from the ice on a stretcher with 1:52 remaining in the third period at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. The Maple Leafs said he will quarantine in the hotel and try to rejoin them when he recovers from the injury. As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

Muzzin fell chest-first onto the legs of Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand to the right behind the Toronto goal. Muzzin was down for more than 10 minutes lying on his back before being immobilized and taken from the ice, with stick taps from each team.

Marincin has played six NHL postseason games, for Toronto in 2017. The 28-year-old had four points (one goal, three assists) in 26 games this season.

"We think that Marty brings some of the elements that Muzzin brings," Keefe said. "Obviously he doesn't replace Muzzin in the intangibles he brings; he's a very important player for us.

But there are some elements in particular, the penalty killing and the size (6-foot-5, 217 pounds), there are some similarities in terms of what he can provide us and we think that is important."

Muzzin was second among Toronto defensemen in shorthanded ice time at 3:00 per game through Games 1 and 2 against Columbus (Holl, 3:47), and was second during the regular season at 2:31 per game (Cody Ceci, 2:50).

Defenseman Morgan Rielly said Muzzin, who won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, is a difficult player to replace.

"It starts with the off-ice aspect in terms of what he brings to our group being a leader and his playoff mentality," Rielly said. "He has experience and he's played in these types of games before, so that'll be missed. On the ice, he plays tough minutes against the opponent's top line, playing penalty-kill minutes, he's a big, tough guy out there (6-foot-3, 217) that blocks shots and leads by example. We're going to miss him. You can't really replace Jake; you just hope to have guys rise to the occasion."

Prayers for the Leafs chances accepted gratefully. 🙏