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The Toronto Maple Leafs get back into action against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday and begin a busy stretch of 17 games and three back-to-backs between tonight and April 24th after playing just twice over the last 10 days. The Leafs are rested and healthy with the exception of goalie Frederik Andersen, and after playing the last place Senators, face the Oilers and Jets (who are tied with Toronto atop the North Division) the next four games.
Toronto practiced this week with slightly tweaked forward lines, with Wayne Simmonds on the left side with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Alex Galchenyuk skating with John Tavares and William Nylander, the checking line of Ilya Mikheyev, Pierre Engvall and Zach Hyman reunited and an intriguing fourth line of Joe Thornton, Alex Kerfoot and Jason Spezza.
"It's pretty cool. I was sitting back thinking the other day, (Thornton and Spezza) were two guys I grew up watching.… Kerfoot said. “If I was a kid thinking that I'd ever play on a line with Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza, I don't think I'd believe myself. (I’m) really lucky and fortunate to be playing with them. I just want to do my job out there, we’ve got games to win.… Jack Campbell will get the start for Toronto with Andersen not traveling with the club and day-to-day with a lower body injury. Ottawa played Filip Gustavsson in a 3-1 win over Calgary on Wednesday, which likely means that new Senator Anton Forsberg will make his first start against the Leafs. Forsberg joined his fourth club this season after being claimed by the Sens this week, but did not play for Edmonton, Carolina or Winnipeg.
Kyle Dubas is in attendance for tonight's Senators vs. Flames game. 👀#NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/E0gOOKHniv
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 24, 2021
Ottawa are definite sellers and have a rental forward in Ryan Dzingel who would not qualify as a top six candidate, but would improve the depth and versatility of the Leafs forward corps. The 29-year-old forward has nine points (7 goals, 2 assists) in 21 games and has scored five goals in 10 games since being re-acquired by the Sens in February.
The other possible player of interest in Flames forward Sam Bennett, who asked to be traded earlier in the season. The former fourth overall pick has six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 31 games and after registering two assists in Darryl Sutter’s first game as head coach has gone seven straight without a point.
Calgary appears to be falling out of the playoff race in the North(trailing Montreal by four points with the Canadiens having three games in hand), which might make GM Brad Treliving willing to become a seller before April 12.
Dubas may be looking at Canadian teams as trade partners since they would not have to wait 14 days for the player to quarantine to get into the lineup.
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— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) March 18, 2021
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