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 begin a four-game road trip on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center with Jack Campbell making his first start since March 8th. The Leafs goalie suffered a rib injury and sat out more than three weeks with call-up Erik Kallgren and Petr Mrazek handling the duties, but with Mrazek out until May with a groin injury, the burden falls back on Campbell to provide some stability between the pipes.
“He’s looked good, he’s battled to keep the puck out of the net (in practice), he just looks like he’s refreshed,… Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said on Friday. “Obviously, we wished he remained healthy, but there are some positives that come with being able to take some time away. It's a long season, especially for a guy who plays that position, to get that mental and physical break, I think there's benefits to come from that.…
Campbell led the NHL in starts(19), victories(13), goals-against (1.72), and save percentage(.943) through October and November, but since December 1, his record is 11-5-3, with a 3.49 GAA and .888 save percentage, and has allowed four or more goals in over half of his last 20 starts.
In spite of some improvement on the Toronto blueline with the deadline additions of Ilya Lyubushkin and Mark Giordano, the Leafs are going to need Campbell to play closer to the form that saw him earn his first All-Star appearance to have a chance of beating any of their potential first-round opponents (Florida, Tampa Bay, Boston or Carolina).
Ilya Lyubushkin is expected to return to the lineup after missing Thursday’s 7-3 victory over Winnipeg and partner with Morgan Rielly, with Mark Giordano returning to play with Timothy Liljegren and TJ Brodie with Justin Holl.
Alex Kerfoot’s status will not be known until just before game time after he took a maintenance day on Friday, but head coach Sheldon Keefe expects him to be in the lineup. Fellow Harvard alum Colin Blackwell return to the lineup and center the fourth line after sitting against the Jets, and rookie forward Nick Abruzzese will make his NHL debut.
“(I’m) just trying to help the team in whatever capacity I can.… Abruzzese said earlier this week. “(Toronto is) having a great year and have some pretty big aspirations. So whatever way I can help them, I’m here to try and do that.…
The 22-year-old had 33 points (9G, 24A) in 28 games for the Crimson and four points (1G, 3A) in four games for Team USA at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.
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The Leafs earlier this week locked up another of their 2019 Draft prospects, signing defenseman Mikko Kokkonen to a three-year entry-level contract.
The 21-year-old blueliner played for Finland at the IIHF World Junior Championships ib 2020 and 2021, got a taste of North American hockey last season, scoring seven points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 11 games for the AHL Toronto Marlies, and posted a career-high 15 points (1 goal and 14 assists) in 58 games for the Lahti Pelicans of the Finnish Elite League (Liiga) this season.
Mikko Kokkonen opens the scoring with his first AHL goal for the Toronto Marlies. #Leafs #Marlies pic.twitter.com/cJkwPFjmCL
— Finnish Jr Hockey (@FINjrhockey) May 12, 2021
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— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) April 26, 2021
Convo on Podcast.#theleafsconvo https://t.co/Xdn3CDLVCI