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The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to bounce back from a shootout loss to Tampa Bay in the second of back-to-back games in the Sunshine State against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.
Toronto was able to earn a point against the Lightning at Amalie Arena on Monday, as Tyler Bozak scored the tying goal on the power play early in the third period and Frederik Andersen held off the Tampa Bay offense through regulation and overtime, making 39 saves on the evening.
Rookie Brayden Point scored the only goal in the shootout to give Tampa their second victory over the Leafs this season, moving them five points ahead of Toronto for first in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs increased their lead for second place over Boston to two points, but the Bruins have five games in hand.
The contest was the first in a Leafs uniform for center Tomas Plekanec (acquired from Montreal on Sunday), who took the place of Dominic Moore on the fourth line in between Leo Komarov and Josh Leivo.
The 35-year-old veteran won five of nine face-offs, but took two minor penalties and made a turnover that led to Tyler Johnson’s second period tying goal.
“I thought he was good, he’s going to obviously improve our hockey club and give us an upgrade and give us a guy who can play against anybody.… Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after Plekanec’s debut. “He took a couple penalties tonight so just get him use to playing with us and then he can really help you.…
The Leafs did not take to the ice in Sunrise, FL on Tuesday morning, but will likely follow their normal pattern in back-to-back games, going with Curtis McElhinney in goal. TSN’s Mark Masters reports that Babcock will make two lineup changes, with Connor Carrick and Dominic Moore replacing Roman Polak and Josh Leivo.
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The Maple Leafs were unable to follow to acquire the defensive help that they have long been looking for before the 3pm NHL Trade Deadline on Monday.
GM Lou Lamoriello indicated that the performance of rookie Travis Dermott was a factor in making it less necessary to make additions on defense and that team chemistry was a factor in not dealing any of their own pending free agents in James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov.
The Leafs GM said that he had inquired about Rangers team captain Ryan McDonagh (who was dealt to the Lightning along with JT Miller, for Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects Brett Howden, Libor Hajek and two draft picks), but was unable to best Tampa Bay’s offer.
“We certainly inquired about Ryan McDonagh,… Lamoriello told TSN’s James Duthie. “As far as how far we were in on it, obviously not far enough because he is with Tampa Bay.…
Detroit blueliner Mike Green was rumored to have used his no-trade clause to block a trade to the Leafs, but Lamoriello said that he had no interest in the pending free agent.
Toronto’s approach to the deadline was slightly confusing, as the trade for Plekanec was consistent with a team making a push for a deeper playoff run, but the lack of any trade for defensive help did not reinforce the club’s most vulnerable area.
For the second year in a row, the club sacrificed a high draft pick to temporarily plug a hole at fourth line center with a rental veteran in a year where a deep playoff run is possible, but not likely.
Depending on the results in the post-season, Leafs management will have to answer whether it was wise to keep van Riemsdyk, Bozak and Komarov instead of getting some return if they walk away for nothing in the summer or would they have made a deeper playoff run if they been successful in acquiring a top four defender like Hamonic or McDonagh.
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