The Toronto will not have team captain Dion Phaneuf back for their next game against the New York Rangers. Phaneuf suffered a hand injury prior to the All-Star break in a fight with Ottawa’s Milan Michalek and his status was described as “week-to-week….
Phaneuf was placed on injured reserve on Saturday to make room on the club’s 23 man roster for emergency call up Antoine Bibeau, but it was retroactive to January 21, which would have made the blueliner eligible to come off the IR immediately.
Interim coach Peter Horachek indicated there is no timetable for the defenseman’s return after thinking that he was to getting back in the lineup on Saturday.
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Maple Leafs management continues to log significant frequent flyer miles with three weeks to go until the trade deadline.
Dave Nonis was in Boston on Sunday for the Bruins and Montreal Canadiens game, which was the third stop for the Leafs GM in an NHL venue last week.
Along with assistant’s Mark Hunter and Kyle Dubas, Toronto’s upper management has been combing the NHL, AHL and CHL in advance of March 2nd and in preparation for the upcoming draft and offseason.
The Leafs GM stayed in Nashville after Toronto’s 4-3 loss last Tuesday to watch the Preds – Anaheim game on Thursday and then travelled to Tampa for a Saturday afternoon matinee between the LA Kings and Lightning before flying into snowy Boston for the Atlantic Division battle at the TD Garden.
Hunter was in Detroit last week to watch the Red Wings and New York Islanders and is currently in Europe, while Dubas checked out the St. Louis Blues AHL affiliate in Chicago last Wedneday, took in the Kingston Frontenacs and Barrie Colts in Barrie on Thursday and was in Erie, PA for the Otters – London Knights on Saturday to check out three potential Leafs draft targets in Connor McDavid, Dylan Strome and Mitch Marner.
The club’s professional scouts are in most NHL buildings numerous times throughout the season and likely would have conveyed their observations to Leafs management during meetings held in Arizona during the All-Star break. The heightened activity of the Nonis and his assistants indicates that final decisions are being made on the club’s various trade options.
"They have a list of players at each position that they have an interest in based on their pro scouting and so now they’re helping the pro scouts by focusing on those top two or three guys that they think might be some use to them.… Former Leafs Assistant GM Bill Watters said on Monday. “(The Leafs are) not really looking at the other guy’s players, unless they can get a real prospect. They are looking at what they can get if anything in the prospect area and if they can’t, then their gonna get a draft choice.…
Veteran forwards Mike Santorelli and Daniel Winnik are more likely to be moved in advance of the deadline in exchange for draft picks, but their cap-friendly contracts and interest from a number of teams could bring Toronto a higher return than expected. Defenseman Cody Franson is more likely to remain a Leaf until the weekend preceding the deadline for purposes of getting the best return possible.
Expectations are that Franson could get the Leafs a second round pick and good prospect, but the price could move up to a low first round pick if the bidding gets heated.
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Another Leaf that may be on the trade block is goalie Jonathan Bernier, who missed his scheduled start on Saturday due to illness and has lost his last seven starts. Sportsnet’s Damien Cox and Glenn Healy reported Monday morning that the 26-year-old netminder’s name has begun to be mentioned and could be available for the right price prior to March 2nd.
Bernier is a restricted free agent at the end of his two-year, $5.8 Million bridge deal this summer and will be looking for a long-term contract extension, but it is uncertain whether the Leafs want to make that kind of commitment.
James Reimer, who made 31 saves in Toronto’s first win since January 9, will get the start against the New York Rangers at Air Canada Center on Tuesday. Leaf killer Cam Talbot is expected to get the start for New York, as starter Henrik Lundqvist is out three to four weeks with a neck injury.
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Listen to the full interview with Bill Watters here:
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