With nine games remaining in his first season as Toronto Maple Leafs head coach, Mike Babcock is encouraged about where the organization is in spite of being at the bottom of the NHL standings. The Stanley Cup winning head coach believes the club is not as bad off as he thought when he signed an eight-year, $50 Million contract with the Leafs 10 months ago.
"We're in a much better situation now probably than I could have hoped, so in that way it's good." Babcock said. "Moving ahead, we have some really good kids, the Marlies have done a nice job in development."
Toronto have won six of their last eight games and take on the Boston Bruins in the final game of their season-long six-game homestand at Air Canada Center on Saturday.
The only consequence remaining for the Leafs over the next two weeks is the battle for 30th overall with Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary and Columbus, while the Bruins are battling for an Eastern Conference playoff berth.
The Leafs head coach is looking for his team to continue to play well in the final two weeks, but does not enjoy playing the role of a spoiler.
"To me, (winning games) has nothing to do with them, it has to do with us." Babcock said. "We're hoping Claude (Julien's) team does good, we're hoping (Detroit coach Jeff Blashill's) team does good in every game except when they play us."
Boston has lost five straight, including four on the road (in spite of having league-best 23-7-3 record prior to three losses in California and another to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden earlier this week) and are just one point ahead of Philadelphia and Detroit.
Veteran Brad Boyes will make his return to the lineup for the first time since March 9th, with Josh Leivo being returned to the AHL Marlies. Byron Froese took the morning skate at ACC on Saturday and Babcock indicated that he may return soon from a broken hand, but injured rookie Nikita Soshnikov is not close to being ready to return from an upper body injury suffered on March 19.
Leo Komarov's lower body injury has not improved and Babcock reports that the veteran winger will be out another 10 days, which could mean that they will shut the feisty Finn down with two weeks left.
Jonathan Bernier will start in goal for Toronto and former Leafs draft pick Tuukka Rask will be between the pipes for Boston. Rask has a 14-3-2 career record,1.92 GAA & .934 save percentage vs the Leafs.
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Leafs prospect Tony Cameranesi scored a goal and assisted on Karlson Kuhlman's game-winning goal in double overtime that lifted Minnesota-Duluth to a 2-1 victory over Providence on Friday.
The 22-year-old center was selected in the 5th round of the 2011 NHL Draft by Toronto and scored 10 goals and 26 assists in 36 games in his senior season for the Bulldogs. The Maple Leafs can sign Cameranesi to an entry-level contract after UMD completes their season or he can choose to become an unrestricted free agent and sign with another NHL team after August 15th.
That decision is now available to two prominent NCAA products, Mark Jankowski and Jimmy Vesey, whose clubs were eliminated on Friday.
Jankowski was selected him 21st overall in 2012 by the Calgary Flames, but the 21-year-old center could opt to go to another NHL club with youngsters Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett playing up the middle for the Flames.
Vesey's Harvard Crimson were eliminated by Boston College on Friday and it is likely that by early next week, the big 22-year-old forward either signs with the Nashville Predators or informs them that he is undecided about his future.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported earlier this week that the Predators have told the 2012 draft pick he has a spot on their roster and the opportunity to burn a year of his entry-level deal right away, but Vesey balked signing with the Preds after his junior season and opted to remain at Harvard to complete his degree.
If Vesey does not join the Preds, it is likely that GM David Poile will shop his rights to recoup a prospect or draft pick for an asset with a time limit. That could be advantageous for the Leafs and GM Lou Lamoriello, who have 20 draft picks over the next two years.
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