Be sure to like HockeyBuzz on facebook! For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter *******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.******* The Toronto Maple Leafs return home after a successful road trip that saw them earn seven of a possible eight points with wins in Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Dallas, and an overtime loss to Florida, but now the club must do something that has troubled them all season; beat the teams they should beat. The Leafs return home to Scotiabank Arena to play the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, but it would be hard to convince anyone that the Habs have the worst record in the Eastern Conference based on the way they have played Toronto. Montreal is 12-10-4 under interim coach Martin St. Louis, with two of those wins coming against the Leafs at the Bell Centre on February 21 (5-2) and March 26 (4-2). Toronto holds a three-point lead on Boston for second place in the Atlantic after the Bruins 2-1 overtime win over Tampa on Friday. The Leafs play five of their next six games at home against five non-playoff clubs but must buck the trend of playing down to their competition if they want to have home-ice advantage in the playoffs.
Past & present pic.twitter.com/PKVLnyWi2A
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 9, 2022
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨🚨
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 8, 2022
56 GOALS! OVERTIME WINNER! pic.twitter.com/VozaoRgeXc
While the Leafs wait to find out whether 2021 second-round pick Matthew Knies will return to college next season or turn pro, the club continues to lock up some of their other prospects on entry-level deals. On Friday, Toronto announced the signing of defensive prospect Axel Rindell to a two-year contract. The 21-year-old blueliner was selected 177th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft and posted 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists) in 26 games with Kà¤rpà¤t of the Finnish Elite League (Liiga) this season. Rindell will join the AHL Toronto Marlies on a professional tryout for the remainder of the 2021-22 regular season and the Calder Cup Playoffs. *******
Lot’s of â¤ï¸ for the 💙ðŸ¤
— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) April 26, 2021
Convo on Podcast.#theleafsconvo https://t.co/Xdn3CDLVCI