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The Toronto Maple Leafs have the NHL’s best record at 18-6-2 even after losing two in a row to the struggling Vancouver Canucks after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers on their five-game Western Canada road swing, but there continues to be chatter that Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is interested in upgrading the club’s depth before the April 12 trade deadline.
The Leafs have encountered their share of injuries in the first 26 games of an abbreviated 56-game regular season schedule, with Auston Matthews banged up on two separate occasions, Wayne Simmonds out up to six weeks with a broken wrist, Joe Thornton missing time with broken ribs, Jake Muzzin with a broken facial bone, and goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Jack Campbell out for extended periods with lower body injuries.
According to Cap Friendly, Toronto has only $130,527 in cap space at the deadline, which means the Leafs will have to move players down to the taxi squad to get as much cap space as possible before the deadline, move money out in the form of existing players on the roster, or get inventive by having another team retain cap space in a trade (as Toronto did last trade deadline with Vegas in the Robin Lehner deal).
While most of the rumors have revolved around depth at forward, the Leafs could be in the market for another experienced blueliner who could be hidden on the taxi squad and possibly a goaltender if the injury bug strikes to either Andersen or Campbell before April 12.
Toronto has been fortunate that their only injury of significance on the back end was a two-game absence for Muzzin late last month. If someone is out for a prolonged period, the first option for Sheldon Keefe would be Mikko Lehtonen, who thus far has not enjoyed the Leafs head coach’s full confidence.
Rookie Rasmus Sandin is still out with a broken foot, which leaves 2017 first rounder Timothy Liljegren and veteran Martin Marincin as their other options. Veterans such as Anaheim’s Ben Hutton ($950,000), Michael Del Zotto in Columbus ($700,000), Mark Pysyk in Dallas ($750,000) or Dmitri Kulikov ($1.15 million) in New Jersey could be kept on the active roster while Lehtonen is assigned to the taxi squad without having to clear waivers.
In goal, Dubas is likely to stand pat if his top two goalies are healthy at the deadline, with an experienced Michael Hutchinson as the #3 on the taxi squad. If an injury to any of the trio occurs, the Leafs will likely bring in some insurance down the stretch.
Aaron Dell was lost to New Jersey on waivers in January, but could be available with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood healthy. Former Leaf Jonathan Bernier is reportedly being shopped by Detroit, but the Wings would likely have to retain 50% of his $3 million salary to make it possible.
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The Leafs begin the first of a three-game homestand against the Winnipeg Jets at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. The Jets trail Toronto by seven points in the North Division standings and have two games in hand. Winnipeg are coming off a 7-1 loss to Montreal on Saturday and will start Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck in goal.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that he will make no lineup changes and will start Frederik Andersen between the pipes.
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Here we go.
— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) March 7, 2021
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