Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Lupul Out Indefinitely; Leafs Vs Blue Jackets

October 31, 2014, 12:15 PM ET [825 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
UPDATE: Maple Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul did not come out for the pre-game skate in Columbus for Friday's game with the Blue Jackets and is reportedly out indefinitely with a broken bone in his right hand.

Lupul suffered the injury at the club's practice facility in Etobicoke, ON on Thursday, but completed practice and flew with the club later in the day. According to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, the Leafs forward had an x-ray done on his hand in Columbus Friday morning and found out it was broken prior to the game.

Daniel Winnik will take Lupul's place on the top line with Nazem Kadri and Phil Kessel and Carter Ashton will play in his first game of the season.

will update

*******

The Toronto Maple Leafs face a challenging pair of back-to-back games this weekend, with a contest against the injury-riddled Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Friday and the Chicago Blackhawks at Air Canada Center on Saturday night.

The Blue Jackets were expected to build on the success of making the playoffs last season but have an under .500 record (4-5-0) in October, due mostly to a slew of injuries to key players. Columbus will be without forwards Boone Jenner, Brandon Dubinsky, Nathan Horton, Mark Letestu and Artem Anisimov, defenseman James Wisniewski and former Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky against Toronto.

Winger Nick Foligno(third on the club in scoring behind center Ryan Johansen and Scott Hartnell) will be a game-time decision. The former Ottawa Senator had a scare in Los Angeles last Sunday, colliding with linesman Shane Heyer and leaving the ice on a stretcher, but was diagnosed with a stinger.

Jackets backup Curtis McElhinney will get the start in goal, while Jonathan Bernier is the likely starter for Toronto following his 10 save shutout over Buffalo on Tuesday. Bernier has a 2-2-0 career record vs. Columbus, with a 2.43 GAA and .916 save %, compared to James Reimer, who has a 4.37 GAA and .852 save % in two career starts.

The Leafs are not expected to make any lineup changes from Tuesday, going with 12 forwards and six defensemen in spite of the recall of defenseman Stuart Percy on Thursday.

The demotion of the 21-year-old Percy was to take his $863,333 salary off the books when he was not in the lineup, which seems like an insignificant savings but in the salary cap world every dollar counts.

*******

Spiderman, spiderman, does whatever a spider can. #HappyHalloween

A photo posted by Toronto MapleLeafs (@torontomapleleafs) on



*******

The Leafs have made a significant amount of roster changeover in the last two seasons to complementary and role players, some which may be considered wise and others that are open to second guessing. Here is how some of the Ex-Leafs are doing with their new clubs:

Mason Raymond - Calgary : GP -10, G -5, A -2, PTS – 7

The speedy winger scored 19 goals with Toronto last season and signed a three- year, $9 Million deal with his hometown team and has been hot to start the season, scoring a hat trick in the Battle of Alberta on October 9, but suffered a shoulder injury last Saturday and is out week-to-week.

Nikolay Kulemin – NY Islanders : GP – 10, G -1, A – 5, PTS – 6

The rugged Russian winger, who scored 23 goals over three seasons for the Leafs following his breakout 30 goal year in 2011, signed with the Isles for four years, $16.4 Million with buddy Mikhail Grabovski and has started the year with one goal in 10 games, possibly due to Grabovski being out with a concussion after being checked by San Jose’s John Scott.

Carl Gunnarsson – St Louis : GP -2. G -0, A – 1, PTS – 1

Gunnarsson played 304 games with Toronto from 2009 to 2014 and was traded to St. Louis for defenseman Roman Polak at the NHL Draft in late June. The 27-year-old missed the first seven games for the Blues recovering from surgery to repair a hip injury that plagued the defenseman the last two years with the Leafs. He registered his first point in a 2-0 St. Louis win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

Dave Bolland – Florida : GP – 4, G – 0, A – 0, PTS – 0

The two-time Stanley Cup winner played only 23 games for the Leafs in 2013-14 due to a severe ankle laceration last November. Toronto was extremely interested in re-signing the Mimico, ON native to a long-term extension but were outbid by Panthers GM Dale Tallon, who signed his former draftee to a five-year, $27.5 Million deal. Injuries have continued to plague Bolland, who is pointless in four games and has missed the last four with a groin injury.

The Canes – Jay McClement – Carolina : GP – 8, G – 0, A -2, PTS – 2, Tim Gleason – Carolina : GP – 8, G -0, A -1, PTS – 1, John-Michael Liles – Carolina : GP – 5, G – 0, A -1, PTS – 1

Carolina could accurately be called the Leafs South or their second AHL team with all the former member of the Blue and White in their organization. Along with Jiri Tlusty and Jay Harrison, former Marlies goalie Drew MacIntyre was signed by the Canes last summer and is playing with the AHL Charlotte Checkers. Liles was traded to the Canes on January 1 for Gleason, who the Leafs used a buyout on after last season and McClement signed a one-year deal in early July.

The three players have no goals and four assists in 21 games and are a collective -9.

Jerry D’Amigo – Columbus : (AHL) Springfield GP – 8, G – 0, A – 0, PTS – 0

The longtime Marlie played 22 games for the Leafs last season and was swapped to the Blue Jackets for Matt Frattin on July 1. D’Amigo scored 15, 17 and 20 goals in his last three seasons with the Leafs AHL affiliate and thus far is pointless with 16 penalty minutes with the Falcons.

*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******

For Those on Twitter:

KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information click here.
Join the Discussion: » 825 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Mike Augello
» Leafs Frustrated And Immature In Loss To Devils
» Practicing Load Management Down The Stretch; Leafs vs. Devils
» Woll Wonderful In Loss To Canes; Keefe Downplaying Samsonov Injury
» Podcast Sunday – Off The Post Radio
» Hyman Aiming For 50; Leafs vs. Oilers