The route down Lakeshore Blvd to 40 Bay St has encountered more traffic than expected in the first week of the NHL season, as the Maple Leafs have recalled winger Jamie Devane and center Trevor Smith from the AHL Toronto Marlies on Monday.
Devane was called up on Friday to take the roster spot of injured defenseman Mark Fraser and played sparingly in the Leafs home opener against Ottawa Saturday night, but was returned to the Marlies along with winger Spencer Abbott in time to play in the Marlies 5-1 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters Sunday afternoon.
The 22-year-old Mississauga native will likely stay with the Leafs as an injury replacement until big winger Frazer McLaren is ready to return to the lineup. McLaren has been out three weeks due to a broken finger and started on-ice workouts with Leafs strength and conditioning Coach Anthony Belza on Monday.
Smith, who was named Marlies team captain on Friday, had an impressive organizational debut with five points over the weekend, including the game-winner in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime victory over Grand Rapids and tallying twice on Sunday in the win over Lake Erie.
The 28-year-old Ottawa native has previous NHL stints with the NY Islanders, Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh. Smith was brought in to provide veteran leadership for Steve Spott’s young group and cleared waivers when the Leafs demoted him last week, but will not have to clear again unless he stays with the big club for more than 10 games.
The addition of Smith allows the Leafs the luxury of moving Jay McClement from fourth line center to play a more prominent role, possibly as a short time replacement for the injured Nikolai Kulemin on the line with Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul.
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Jake Gardiner’s future in Toronto continues to be the subject of much speculation.
According to Hockey Night In Canada’s Elliotte Friedman, rumors regarding the relationship between the 23-year-old blueliner and coach Randy Carlyle have spurred other teams to make inquiries about his availability in a trade.
Friedman indicates that Leafs GM Dave Nonis would be open to trading Gardiner if they get a “good young asset or assets” in return, but is not actively looking to trade the skilled puck mover.
An adequate level of trust in Gardiner’s defensive abilities does not appear to be there, as Carlyle limited his ice time in the third period of the Leafs win in Philadelphia on Wednesday after his defensive gaffes led to two goals against Montreal.
Gardiner’s entry level deal expires at the end of the 2013-14 season and if he puts up good offensive numbers, he will expect a big payday as Kadri did this summer. The Leafs may not be willing to sign Gardiner $4 Million + on a long term deal that other young RFA defensemen were signed before the season, especially with Cody Franson and Dion Phaneuf looking for big paydays as well.
With a couple Western Conference teams in desperate need of quality defensemen and stacked with young top forwards, the combination of ingredients may be there to put together a trade later this season or next summer.
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