Be sure to 'like' Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
The Toronto Maple Leafs complete their three-game Western Canada road swing on Monday against the Edmonton Oilers, one of the few clubs beneath the Blue and White in the standings. The Oilers are in familiar territory, as their 18-39-12 record has them 29th in the NHL with 48 points, four points ahead of last place Buffalo and two points behind the Arizona Coyotes in the battle for draft positioning.
Toronto lost the first two games of their four-day sojourn with wanting efforts in Calgary and Vancouver over the weekend. Carolina and Columbus split weekend games that allowed the Blue Jackets to move four points ahead of the Leafs and the Canes to move into a tie at 60 points with two games in hand.
Jonathan Bernier is expected to get the start for Toronto, while ex-Leaf Ben Scrivens will be in goal for Edmonton, who are 1-7-2 in their last 10 games. Forward Taylor Hall took to the ice on Monday for the Oilers morning skate, but is days away from getting back into the lineup.
The Leafs will be without center Peter Holland, who suffered a lower body injury on Friday and did not play in the 4-1 loss to the Canucks on Saturday.
*******
The Toronto Marlies remain embroiled in a tight battle for an AHL Western Conference playoff spot after losing 5-4 to the Adirondack Flames on Saturday and a 2-0 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs at the Bell Center in Montreal on Sunday afternoon.
Toronto trails the eighth place Bulldogs by four points with two games in hand with less than a month to go in the regular season, but has the Flames and Chicago Wolves in-between them and the last post-season berth.
2014 top pick William Nylander had two goals in the loss on Saturday, giving the 18-year-old forward six goals and 10 assists in 22 games, while 20-year-old Marlies scoring leader Connor Brown notched an assist on Ryan Rupert’s game-winner on Sunday.
Both young forwards show a great deal of promise and potential, but it is likely that part of the Leafs reconstruction this summer is to not rush the organization's top prospects to the NHL to replace veterans moved this summer, but to follow the Detroit Red Wings model and allow young players to mature physically and mentally in the AHL.
Other first year American Leaguers Rupert(who has 13 goals in 43 games and a +21 plus/minus), Brendan Lepisic(acquired from Nashville in the Cody Franson/Mike Santorelli deal and has 41 points in 59 games) and Viktor Loov(leads all Marlies defensemen with 19 points) are also likely to be given time, which means that players who have spent the last few years toiling for the Leafs AHL affiliate or ex-NHLers looking for a second chance will get an opportunity in the big leagues next season.
Here’s a few who may be beneficiaries of rebuild:
Matt Frattin – The 27-year-old winger has finally found the scoring touch that disappeared after his second knee surgery in 2013, after getting little ice time in 9 games with the Leafs, Frattin has 19 goals in 44 games with the Marlies. The Edmonton native was traded to Los Angeles in the Jonathan Bernier deal, moved to Columbus at the 2014 trade deadline for Marian Gaborik and swapped back to Toronto last July for Jerry D’Amigo.
“I think a lot of it is confidence and he didn’t play a whole lot of hockey the last year and a half.… Marlies coach Gord Dineen said last week. “I think with him it’s just a matter of getting rhythm and getting back into the type of game that he’s got to play.…
Sam Carrick – The Markham, ON native got his first taste of the NHL this season, playing 10 games with the Leafs and has been one of the more dependable forwards for the Marlies the last two seasons. Carrick plays with sufficient energy and snarl to fit into a fourth line center role.
Josh Leivo – Drafted in the 3rd round of the 2011 Draft, Leivo is highly regarded by the Leafs organization after scoring 23 goals in his rookie AHL season and has been given a couple brief looks in the NHL but has taken a step back this year, with just nine goals in 38 games. The Innisfil, ON native has the size and skating ability and might be one of those players who can grow into an effective top nine NHL winger.
Petter Granberg – The big 22-year-old Swede has the raw tools to be an effective stay-at-home NHL defenseman, with good skating ability and the physical strength to clear the front of the net and be effective along the wall. Granberg is +26 in 111 AHL games over the last two seasons and will likely be part of the club’s top six next season.
Andrew MacWilliam – Like Granberg, the former captain of the U of North Dakota is not going to dazzle with offensive rushes like Jake Gardiner or Morgan Rielly, but provides a big-body presence of the blueline does not shy away from the physical side of the game. The 24-year-old Calgary native leads the Marlies with a +22 and is being given a look with the Leafs currently.
Stuart Percy – It has been a roller coaster year for the 2011 first rounder. Percy exceeded all expectations early in the year and did not seem out of place during a nine-game tryout with the Leafs, but has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since being returned to the Marlies in November. Only 21 years old, Percy could still need some seasoning, but if the vacancies on the blueline are as extensive as expected, he could end up with the Leafs next October.
Byron Froese – The 24-year-old former Blackhawks draft pick shuttled back and forth between the ECHL and AHL the last four seasons, but after signing an AHL contract with Toronto in January, Froese has been one of their top scoring forwards, with 24 points in 31 games and could earn a look as a depth forward at training camp next September.
Tyler Biggs – Toronto’s other 2011 first rounder’s year included a trip to the ECHL, a position change and a season-ending injury.
Biggs struggled in his rookie year with the Marlies, scoring seven goals and two assists and was demoted to the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL in October. According to Kyle Cicerella of Canadian Press The 21-year-old forward was in and out of the lineup after being recalled in December, but saw more consistent playing time after being moved from right wing to center.
Out for the remainder of the season after suffering a partial Achilles tendon tear last week, Biggs could have a chance to make the Leafs at training camp based on his size and pedigree, but the best case scenario is as a bottom six checker.
*******
McEichel Race – Points(Games Played)
8. PHILADELPHIA 72(69) 7. NEW JERSEY 69(69) 6. COLUMBUS 64(69) 5. CAROLINA 60(68), 4. TORONTO 60(70) 3. ARIZONA 50(69), 2. EDMONTON 48(69), 1. BUFFALO 44(68)
Current Leafs odds at winning Draft Lottery(9.5%) Up 1.0%
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******
Note : Continue to check back to my column on Hockeybuzz throughout the day for the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information click here.