The pursuit of having the best chance at the top overall pick has been a unstated goal of the Toronto Maple Leafs and a focal point of their long suffering fan base.
When TSN polled what was outcome most people wanted for the Leafs this season, < a href=https://twitter.com/HayesTSN/status/718160606440857600>fans chose finishing last and maximizing the opportunity to select Auston Matthews at nearly 60% over being able to trade Dion Phaneuf or getting young prospects NHL experience.
The Maple Leafs would have clinched a 20% chance of selecting Matthews and selecting no lower than fourth overall with a regulation loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, but motivated by head coach Mike Babcock and backed by a Jonathan Bernier’s 41-save performance and rookie William Nylander’s three-point game, the Leafs earned a 4-3 overtime victory over the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.
“It’s good for the guys, they’ve done a lot of good things and have worked hard.… Babcock said following the game. “We have a lot of kids in our lineup, but guys battled and found a way to get it done.…
The Devils have lost four games in a row but may have some motivation to win the finale at the Prudential Center on Saturday. Cory Schneider will likely start in goal after backup Keith Kinkaid lost to Tampa Bay on Thursday.
2015 top pick Pavel Zacha was called up after Sarnia was eliminated from the OHL Playoffs and will make his NHL debut after leading the Sting with 64 points and fellow Czech Patrik Elias may be playing his last NHL game.
The 39-year-old Elias returned after missing three months with a knee injury earlier this week. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and was non-committal about whether he will come back for his 21st NHL season or decide to retire.
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Defenceman Nikita Zaitsev, likely to sign with the Leafs, scored a wicked goal in the Gagarin Cup Final today: pic.twitter.com/uKGvXfLNXi
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) April 7, 2016
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The Leafs demoted forwards Kasperi Kapanen to the Marlies on Friday, as it is expected that forward Leo Komarov will return for the season finale on Saturday.
Kapanen went scoreless in nine games with the Leafs after being recalled along with Tobias Lindberg, Andrew Campbell and TJ Brennan on March 31. The 19-year-old (acquired in the Phil Kessel deal) would have burned a year of his entry-level contract if he had played his 10th game on Saturday.
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