The struggling Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action on Wednesday after a week break for the All-Star festivities in Columbus, as they start a stretch of three games in four nights in Newark against the New Jersey Devils.
After a difficult stretch prior to the break where Toronto faced the league’s top teams, the Leafs road becomes slightly easier, as five of the next six games are against teams below them in the NHL standings.
Goalie Jonathan Bernier is expected to get the start in Newark, who may have a busy evening as Toronto will be short of experience on defense without team captain Dion Phaneuf (out week-to-week with a hand injury) and veteran Stephane Robidas(shoulder). Korbinian Holzer and call up Petter Granberg will take Phaneuf and Robidas spots in the lineup.
The ice time normally allocated to Phaneuf is expected to be divvied up between sophomore Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner, Cody Franson and Roman Polak and with four right-handed defensemen in the lineup, Holzer is expected to take Phaneuf’s place with Franson on Wednesday, marking the first time that the German-born defenseman will play the left side in the NHL.
Injured winger Joffrey Lupul is still not ready to return from a knee injury suffered on New Year’s Eve in Boston, but forwards Peter Holland and Leo Komarov will be back in the lineup on Wednesday after missing significant time with shoulder injuries.
Lupul may be back as soon as Thursday when the Leafs play Arizona at Air Canada Center or in Philadelphia on Saturday.
The NHL got back into action on Tuesday and the results were positive for those interested in seeing the Maple Leafs pick higher in the draft next June.
Minnesota jumped one point ahead of Toronto after Charlie Coyle’s late goal gave the Wild a 2-1 victory in Edmonton, Wayne Simmonds shootout goal gave Philadelphia a 4-3 victory over the Coyotes and moved the Flyers into a tie with the Leafs and the Blue Jackets 4-3 win over Washington has Columbus just two points behind Toronto with two games in hand.
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The Leafs appear to be working the phone lines well in advance of the March 2nd trade deadline, but are looking to make moves that bring tangible future assets and not deals for the sake of making deals.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Pittsburgh Penguins inquired about veteran forward Daniel Winnik last week, but did not offer the Leafs enough of a return for the 29-year-old, who has 20 points in 48 games this season.
Pittsburgh made a move for a depth forward on Tuesday, swapping forward Marcel Goc to St Louis for Maxim Lapierre. The trade of pending free agents was virtually an even swap of salary for the two contenders(Goc $1.2 Million, Lapierre $1.1 Million)and may not prohibit Pittsburgh from renewed interest in Winnik closer to the deadline, but it would likely take a second or third round pick or a young prospect for the veteran forward.
Dreger also reported that the Blues have expressed interest in Joffrey Lupul. St. Louis is concerned about the veteran winger’s fragility, who is close to returning after suffering his second significant injury of the season, but Lupul’s skill set is unquestioned and could help the Blues get through the tough sledding in the Western Conference.
Any deal involving Lupul would necessitate Toronto taking a player with salary back and the name of Patrick Berglund has been connected to the Leafs in the past.
The 6’3… 217 lb Berglund plays both center and wing and has scored 13 goals or more in six seasons with St. Louis, but has been mentioned in trade speculation this season and has another two seasons left on his current contract at $3.7 Million. Lupul makes $5.25 Million and his deal runs through the 2017-18 season.
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