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Kyle Dubas appears to be anxious to get to work as the Toronto Maple Leafs GM, as he waited less than 24 hours after the unofficial trade moratorium to pull off his first deal.
In a minor move, the Leafs have swapped the rights to 23-year-old winger Nolan Vesey to the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional 2020 seventh round pick. ( UPDATE - Vesey has signed a two-year ELC with Edmonton)
Vesey scored 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 37 games as a senior at the University of Maine and was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent later this summer if he did not sign a contract with the Leafs. Originally selected 158th overall by Toronto in the 2014 NHL Draft, Vesey’s presence in the organization along with his father Jim (a Leafs scout) were reasons it was thought that Toronto had a chance to sign his older brother Jimmy; a former Hobey Baker Award winner now with the New York Rangers.
The condition of the deal is likely the ability of the Oilers to get Vesey signed before his rights expire at the end of June. If Edmonton does not sign him, Vesey would not be eligible to sign an NHL contract with another team until August 15, just as his brother did with the Rangers two years ago after his rights were dealt by Nashville to Buffalo.
The Leafs selected three players in 2014 bound for US colleges. Fourth rounder JJ Piccinich left Boston University after his freshman season, played two seasons for the OHL’s London Knights and signed a two-year AHL deal with Toronto last summer.
Fifth round pick Dakota Joshua scored 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) his junior season with Ohio State and played in the NCAA Championship game for the Buckeyes last March. The 22-year-old center is considered a good NHL prospect with speed and a 6’3…, 200 lb frame and unless he declares that he is turning professional, the Leafs will retain his rights until June 2019.
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The Toronto Marlies looked to take a commanding lead in the Calder Cup Final, but were again undone by the veteran core group of the Texas Stars, as Justin Dowling’s goal midway through the third period was the difference in a 3-2 Stars win at H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, TX on Thursday.
In spite of outshooting Texas 31-18, the Marlies trailed 2-0 thanks to team captain Curtis McKenzie 9th and 10th goals of the playoffs, but Toronto tied the game in with a pair of goals forty seconds apart late in the second from Dmytro Timashov and Andreas Johnsson.
Passing perfection on the give-and-goal.#MarliesLive #ThisIsMore pic.twitter.com/K2Z3AjxXkA
— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) June 8, 2018
With the score tied in the third, Texas pulled ahead for good on a Matt Mangene shot that was deflected by Dowling past Toronto goalie Garret Sparks.
The win marked the first time in the series that a club scored the first goal and won the game and the third straight game that the game was decided by one goal.
“It’s definitely very close. I think it’s no secret that we’re in for a battle here.… Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the loss. “We’ve been in a battle so far this series. We’ve got to come ready to play. They’re a team that comes ready, it’s going to be a tough game, Game 5. We’re already looking forward to that one and let go of this one. There will be some things that we have to correct but it’s just a close battle that we have to come out on top of.…
Mangene with the blast, Dowling with the redirect and @TexasStars with the lead! #TORvsTEX pic.twitter.com/CzoMg3xIaL
— AHL (@TheAHL) June 8, 2018
The best-of-seven series is now tied 2-2, with Game 5 slated for Saturday night in Texas, before returning to Ricoh Coliseum for Game 6 next Tuesday.
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Mere hours after the Washington Capitals celebrated the first championship in their 44-year history, the odds for who will win the 2019 Stanley Cup were released by the sports betting site Bovada.
The Tampa Bay Lightning were listed as the favorites at 9-1 odds, but the Toronto Maple Leafs were among a list of four teams just behind the Lightning.
The Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights and Leafs (who all finished with over 100 points last season) were listed at 10-1, the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins at 11-1 and the Cup Champion Capitals at 14-1.
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