If you doubt that this has been a year of transition for the Toronto Maple Leafs, compare the lineup from the season opener against the Montreal Canadiens last October to the group that will close the door on the home portion of the schedule against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Air Canada Center on Wednesday.
Only forwards P-A Parenteau, Brad Boyes, Tyler Bozak, defensemen Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner, Martin Marincin and goaltender Jonathan Bernier remain from opening night and will suit up for the season finale.
Team captain Dion Phaneuf, forwards Nick Spaling, Shawn Matthias, Daniel Winnik and goaltender James Reimer were traded, Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk, Peter Holland, Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov, Matt Hunwick and Scott Harrington are out due to injury or suspension and Mark Arcobello is playing in the American Hockey League.
With the call up of forward Sam Carrick on Wednesday, 13 players (TJ Brennan, Andrew Campbell, Frank Corrado, Byron Froese, Frederik Gauthier, Michael Grabner, Colin Greening, Kasperi Kapanen, Brooks Laich, Tobias Lindberg, William Nylander and Garret Sparks) who began the season with the Toronto Marlies or with other NHL clubs will be in the lineup.
The result of a nearly complete roster changeover has Toronto tied with Edmonton at the bottom of the NHL standings, but well positioned to implement Team President Brendan Shanahan’s organizational plan of stockpiling draft choices (20 over the next two seasons, 12 for the upcoming 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo), a patient approach of allowing young prospects to mature and developing a culture of winning with the talent-laden Marlies, who lead the AHL in wins and are expected to contend for a Calder Cup Championship.
While Director of Player Personnel Mark Hunter and GM Lou Lamoriello are looking forward to the offseason to begin the process of accumulating talent through free agency, trades and the draft, the challenge of landing a young impact player will be made easier if they clinch 30th place overall and a 20% chance of winning the NHL Draft Lottery.
Even if the Leafs did not win any of the lotteries for the first three picks, the worst-case scenario would guarantee them the fourth overall pick and a top prospect such as London Knights Matthew Tkachuk or Cape Breton’s Pierre-Luc Dubois.
The Calgary Flames overtime loss to Los Angeles and Winnipeg Jets victory over Anaheim on Tuesday guarantees that Toronto will finish no higher than 28th, no matter what they do in their final three games, but a loss to Columbus will lock up 29th place and a 13.5% chance of getting the top pick to select 18-year-old Auston Matthews.
The Oilers play their final game at Rexall Place (formerly Northlands Coliseum) against Vancouver on Wednesday and complete their season with a rematch in Vancouver on Saturday, while the Leafs will play the second of back-to-back games in Philadelphia on Thursday and finish up the schedule in New Jersey on Saturday.
Former Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start in goal for Columbus, who have 70 points (three ahead of Toronto). Rookie Garret Sparks, who has lost three straight will go for Toronto, which makes it likely that Jonathan Bernier will get the start in Philadelphia on Thursday.
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