Veteran defenseman Stephane Robidas had a challenging first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, coming back from two broken legs in 2013-14 and providing stability and leadership to a team going through internal and external strife.
For that, the 38-year-old blueliner has been selected as the club’s nominee for the 2015 Bill Masterton Trophy by the Toronto chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Signed last summer to a three-year, $9 Million contract, Robidas reinforced his reputation as a solid stay-at-home defenseman on the ice and a good teammate and mentor off the ice.
The former Montreal Canadiens draft pick leads Toronto in plus/minus and has been credited by teammates and the coaching staff for having a positive influence on young defensemen Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly.
Robidas had one goal and six assists in 52 games with the Leafs before being shutdown in mid-March for season-ending shoulder surgery.
With the expected exodus of many of the current core group from the roster this summer, Robidas’ veteran presence may come into play as part of the Leafs leadership group as the rebuild begins in earnest.
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The roster shuffle between the Leafs and Marlies continued on Thursday, as defenseman T.J. Brennan was returned to the AHL club and Andrew MacWilliam was recalled on an emergency basis.
Toronto will be at the epicenter of the Eastern Conference playoff race on the holiday weekend, as they take on the red-hot Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday night and return home to face Ottawa at Air Canada Center on Easter Sunday night.
Boston won a 3-2 victory at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Thursday and remain three points in front of the Sens, who kept pace with a 2-1 overtime victory against Tampa Bay in Kanata.
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The Marlies chances of making the postseason took a couple body blows this week, with home losses to the two teams within striking distance in the AHL Western Conference standings; the Hamilton Bulldogs and Chicago Wolves.
Toronto has 73 points with nine games remaining and trail Chicago by six points, the Milwaukee Admirals by five points and Hamilton by two, but have games in hand on all three clubs.
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Different strategies and philosophies for developing players appear to be taking shape with the Leafs, as the club intends to use their ECHL affiliate as an introductory level to the pro game.
“I think the perception of the ECHL is that the player is going there for punishment or he’s really struggled,… Leafs assistant general manager Kyle Dubas to reporter Kyle Cicerella on Thursday. “We want to use it as entry level to pro hockey for younger players to start out there.…
During the lockout shortened 2013 season, Toronto did not have an ECHL affiliate, which meant the organization had to find spots for their prospects on teams like the San Francisco Bulls or Idaho Steelheads.
The Leafs have been using the pipeline to the Orlando Solar Bears more frequently to get first year pros like 2012 draftee Matt Finn into games instead of being on the Marlies taxi squad, similar to the Blue Jays sending a player to AA New Hampshire for experience rather than being overwhelmed with the AAA Buffalo Bisons.
“It’s a slow change,… Dubas said. “We would like to have it where first-year players start in Orlando and graduate to the Marlies and then to the Leafs. That’s going to take time for the buy in and the mindset for how people view pro hockey.…
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Red Wings Director of Pro Scouting Mark Howe was one of the few scouts in the building for the Sabres - Leafs game on Wednesday, which could be an indicator that Detroit may still have interest in Dion Phaneuf after the season.
The two sides could not come to an agreement before the March 3rd deadline and any deal involving Phaneuf would likely involve Toronto taking back a high-salaried player as part of the deal.
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