The Toronto Maple Leafs nightmarish season will conclude on April 11 against the Montreal Canadiens, but in their 10 remaining games the Blue and White could have a significant impact on the Eastern Conference playoff race, as they match up against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Center in Kanata, ON on Saturday.
The Leafs have three meetings with Ottawa in the remaining three weeks of the season, one game left with Boston on April 4th at TD Garden and host the Florida Panthers (who trail the Bruins by 5 points) next Thursday during their four-game home stand. The Sens may benefit from Toronto’s indifferent play as they try to overtake Boston for the final wild card spot. Andrew “The Hamburglar… Hammond will start in goal for Ottawa after registering his 12th victory in 13 career starts against Boston on Thursday, but allowing more than two goals in a game for the first time. Noted Senators killer James Reimer and his 10-3-1 career record, 2.19 GAA and .937 save percentage will be between the pipes for the Leafs, who have lost four games in a row.
Toronto will be without Nazem Kadri, who is serving the second game of a four-game suspension for a hit on Edmonton’s Matt Fraser last week and Peter Holland, who has missed the last three games with a lower body injury.
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It should not be a surprise that the current atmosphere in the Toronto locker room is unpleasant, but according to < http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/20/toronto-maple-leafs-dressing-room-pretty-screwed-up-player-reveals/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter> Michael Traikos in the National Post, there is a growing divide between the Leafs core group who have the security of long-term contracts and players trying to make an impression and earn an NHL job.
“It’s pretty screwed up in here,… said an anonymous fringe player in reference to players like Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk and Joffrey Lupul continuing to get premium ice time in spite of not playing well, while other players who are hustling are not getting rewarded.
One of the main criticisms of interim coach Peter Horachek is that he keeps putting the top line of JVR-Bozak-Kessel together in hopes of generating offense, but their goal-scoring mojo as evaporated in the second half, while also being a collective -100 plus/minus this season(Kessel leads the NHL at -35, Bozak -33 and van Riemsdyk -32).
Lupul has just 19 points in 45 games and has not scored a goal since December 20, but averages 15:35 TOI per game, 5th on the club behind the top line and Kadri.
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Is it possible that Colton Orr will play as a member of the Leafs one more time?
The 33-year-old veteran’s two-year contract expires at the end of the season and with the changing landscape of the enforcer in the NHL, it is unlikely that the Winnipeg, MB native will play in the league again, but according to Kyle Cicerella of Canadian Press, Marlies coach Gord Dineen would be in favor of giving Orr one last tour of the battlefield.
Orr has played just 14 games with the Leafs AHL affiliate this season due to various injuries and has not fought once, but has played three times in March, including the Marlies 2-1 overtime victory against Lake Erie on Friday.
Re-occurring injuries have limited the Winnipeg native to just 13 games and he hasn’t dropped the gloves once. Through January and February he missed his biggest span of action, 24-of-25 games, but returned this weekend and suited up in two of three games.
“Right now (a recall) is up to the guys up top,… Dineen said. “But I know they recognize his dedication, too, so we’ll see what happens.…
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McEichel Race – Points(Games Played)
8. NEW JERSEY 73(71) 7. PHILADELPHIA 73(73) 6. COLUMBUS 68(71) 5. CAROLINA 61(70), 4. TORONTO 60(72) 3. EDMONTON 51(71), 2. ARIZONA 50(71), 1. BUFFALO 47(71)
Current Leafs odds at winning Draft Lottery(9.5%) Same
Games To Watch: Columbus vs Calgary, NY Rangers vs Carolina
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