The Maple Leafs look to rebound from a December downturn as they take on the Phoenix Coyotes at Air Canada Center on Thursday.
Toronto has lost five of their last six games and have slipped to seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, just three points ahead of four teams(Philadelphia, NY Rangers, New Jersey and Ottawa) for the last wild card spot in the NHL’s new playoff format.
Leafs coach Randy Carlyle has begun to feel heat and a higher level of criticism from the fanbase via social media, but in an interview with TSN’s
Darren Dreger on Wednesday, GM Dave Nonis is putting the onus for the club’s recent struggles on the players not playing up to their capabilities and not on the coaching staff.
"The pressure right now should be placed on the players, Nonis said. "I know Randy and the coaching staff is working hard. I'm not now, nor have I ever contemplated making a coaching change. The players have to respond.”
Unlike his predecessor Ron Wilson, Carlyle has not resorted to desperate tactics like specific criticism or calling out players in the media and has not lost the team that he took over the coaching duties of 21 months ago.
There are not likely to be any roster changes by 11:59 Thursday, as the league’s holiday trade freeze goes into effect, but it is clear that the first step to be taken if Leafs current slump continue would be a trade and not Carlyle being dismissed. Based on his resume and relationship with Nonis going back to their days in the Vancouver organization, Carlyle has a lot of rope. Even if Toronto misses the playoffs, it is highly probable that the veteran coach would get another year to turn things around.
Jonathan Bernier was in the home net at the morning skate on Thursday, but James Reimer left the ice first, so there is some confusion whether he will get his second straight start. Reimer only faced 23 shots in the 3-1 loss to Florida on Tuesday, but was more a victim of lackadaisical defensive play in front of him, Bernier has lost four of his last five starts and the loss to Pittsburgh on Monday lowered his record to under .500.
Carlyle indicated following practice that the club improved their overall defensive play over the last five games, but that giveaways continue to be at the root of their problems.
“It’s been a lot better from a forechecking standpoint, a lot less shots against, a lot less defensive miscues from a structure or a team, it’s more that we’ve made individual mistakes.” Carlyle said. “That’s cost us and we have to improve in those areas.”
Toronto’s lineup continues to be plagued by the injury bug, as center Jerred Smithson was recalled from the AHL Marlies on Wednesday to replace the injured Trevor Smith, who will be out at least a month with a broken hand. Smithson will be inserted on the fourth line and take defensive zone faceoffs, as they lost 31 of 51 draws against the Panthers.
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Dreger also reported earlier this week that the Leafs and Dion Phaneuf are closing in on an agreement on a long term extension.
The 28-year-old Phaneuf is in the final year of a six-year, $39 Million contract and Dreger indicates that his new deal will be in the neighborhood of $7 Million per season for a term of seven years.
This deal will be controversial when announced, as many feel Phaneuf is a good defenseman but not worthy of being paid in the top five salaries. A deal for $7 Million or more will place him behind only Nashville’s Shea Weber and Minnesota’s Ryan Suter for the highest paid blueliners and will undoubtedly include no-trade and no-movement restrictions.
Phaneuf has played more dependable two-way game this season, as he has scored just twice and registered 10 assists in 34 games, but he leads the club in ice time and plus/minus. Games like Tuesday where the team captain played a central role with defensive errors that led to two Florida goals is an example why many feel a lengthy extension would be a mistake, but the signing is clearly being approached as proper asset management by Toronto.
The Leafs cannot allow Phaneuf to reach free agency next summer, because it opens up the possibility of leaving Toronto without getting any return. If they trade the defenseman at the deadline, Nonis would be at a disadvantage because most teams have little or no room to fit his $6.5 Million salary in a year with a $64 Million salary cap and would be weary of giving Toronto anything close to equal value in a trade for a rent-a-player.
With the signing, the Leafs have options to retain Phaneuf for the long term or if they believe a significant shakeup is needed next summer, they will still have the ability to trade him before the restrictions kick in on his new contract, as Philadelphia did with Mike Richards and Jeff Carter in the summer of 2011.
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