For the latest Leafs updates, Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The Toronto Maple Leafs face the Tampa Bay Lightning at Air Canada Centre on Monday in a game that is less about the opportunity to gain ground on the leader of the Atlantic Division and more about being used as a measuring stick to determine how close the Leafs are to being competitive with the presumptive favorite to make the Stanley Cup from the Eastern Conference. The Leafs were shutout 2-0 in the only previous meeting with Tampa, who lead the NHL with 79 points (38-14-3) and a gaudy +53 goal differential, as well as boasting potential Hart Trophy finalists Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos, Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman and likely Vezina Trophy nominee Andrei Vasilevskiy. The 23-year-old All-Star has not skipped a beat in his first season as the Lightning’s full-time starter, leading the NHL with 33 wins and seven shutouts. Frederik Andersen will make his fifth straight start for the Leafs, who are looking for their fifth straight victory on home ice.
Vasilevskiy is just showing off now. pic.twitter.com/XNKWeCGDUd
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) February 11, 2018
Nikita Soshnikov was not present on Monday after completing his conditioning stint with the Toronto Marlies on the weekend. It was thought that the Leafs would have to make room for the winger after playing all three weekend games against Belleville and Binghamton and scoring five points (2 goals, 3 assists). Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello (per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun) says that the 24-year-old winger will be recalled on Monday, but will remain on injured reserve and practice with the club until cleared by team doctors to play. “There’s no illegality to this.… Lamoriello said to Jonas Siegel of the Athletic “We’re not doing anything that isn’t the normal process.… With less than two weeks until the NHL Trade Deadline, having Soshnikov on IR gives the Leafs some wiggle room with their 23-man roster, as his activation would force Lamoriello to place a Josh Leivo, Matt Martin or Connor Carrick on waivers or send down waiver-exempt rookies Kasperi Kapanen or Travis Dermott. The Leafs GM made the Leivo situation slightly murkier on Monday, stating that the winger did not request a trade last week. "I just want to play hockey. I do want to play for the Maple Leafs, that's why I signed for another year (a one-year extension for $925,000 in November)." Leivo said last week. "(25) games in two years is not enough and hopefully I can get in with the team and help them win, but I just need to play." Once the deadline passes, the Leafs could activate Soshnikov with roster limitations loosening, but it is more likely that Lamoriello will attempt to move some players before February 26th for roster flexibility or to acquire depth at other positions. ******* In Sunday’s Slapshots column, the NY Post’s Larry Brooks listed potential destinations for pending free agent winger Rick Nash and the Maple Leafs were one of nine teams listed. Similar to the report involving interest in Edmonton winger Patrick Maroon, any potential Leafs interest in Nash would likely be tied to Toronto needing to filling a hole after making another deal, such as trading James van Riemsdyk or Tyler Bozak. *******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.*******