The depleted Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Center on Tuesday, in their first game following the trade of Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli to Nashville.
Injuries to veterans Dion Phaneuf, Trevor Smith and Joffrey Lupul and the absence of two consistent performers in Franson and Santorelli has the Leafs in their weakest state this season and that is only going to get worse, as Daniel Winnik, David Booth, Jokinen, Korbinian Holzer and others could moved in the 13 days preceding the March 2nd NHL trade deadline.
New addition Olli Jokinen will start at center between David Clarkson and fellow Finnish Olympian Leo Komarov and rookies Brandon Kozun, Sam Carrick and Petter Granberg are expected to be in the lineup against the Panthers, who trail the Boston Bruins by four points in the race for the final Eastern Conference.
Kozun had one assist in six games for the Leafs earlier in the season, but was demoted to the AHL in December after missing nearly six weeks with a high ankle sprain. Carrick was recalled because of the unavailability of Smith and Jokinen, but the 22-year-old Markham, ON native may be one of the beneficiaries of the organization being sellers at the trade deadline.
Depending on the extent of the exodus before March 2, the path of Lakeshore Blvd to Bay St. between Ricoh Coliseum and ACC may see decidedly more traffic, as space on the Leafs roster allows Matt Frattin, Josh Leivo, Spencer Abbott, Greg McKegg, Stuart Percy(currently injured) and others to get extended looks.
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One advantage that the Leafs have over other sellers in the current trade market is their willingness to sell players that have value and years left on their contracts. Arizona, Carolina, Edmonton and Buffalo appear to be limited to selling off their pending unrestricted free agents(Antoine Vermette, Zbenyk Michalek, Jiri Tlusty, Andrej Sekera, Jeff Petry and Chris Stewart) but have already moved out or are not willing to deal other attractive commodities on their rosters.
The Coyotes appear to be holding off on dealing Keith Yandle until the summer unless someone bowls them over with an offer, the Canes are not moving either of the Staal brothers or Justin Faulk, the Oilers may wait until the summer to deal Jordan Eberle or Nail Yakupov and Buffalo has already moved Tyler Myers in the Evander Kane deal.
Toronto has attractive assets in Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel that will be tough to move in the next two weeks, but will get more interest in the summer when cap restrictions are not as limiting. Veterans Tyler Bozak and Roman Polak appear to be more likely to be on the move.
The Globe and Mail’s Eric Duhatschek reports that the LA Kings have interest in Polak, who was acquired last June in exchange for Carl Gunnarsson and is signed through 2016 for an economical $2.75 Million.
The 28-year-old hard hitting Czech would be more attractive to the cap-strapped Kings than the long-termed Phaneuf (who has another six years at $7 Million per season) to fill in for the suspended Slava Voynov.
Leafs Asst GM/Director of Player Personnel Mark Hunter was in Manchester, NH to view the Monarchs game on the weekend and Toronto scouts were at the Kings-Tampa Bay game in Los Angeles on Monday.
Based on the Kings short term needs and the cost certainty provided by another year on his contract, it is likely that Toronto would get a significant return for the right-handed shooting Polak, including a high draft pick and considerable prospect.
There continues to be speculation that the Kings have interest in Phaneuf, but that deal would likely entail the Leafs taking back salary (as they did in the weekend deal with the Predators in the form of Jokinen) or retaining a portion of Phaneuf’s salary.
Sportsnet’s Damien Cox reports that Toronto continues to get inquiries on Bozak, who has three more years at $4.2 Million and a limited no-trade clause, but would provide a contending team valuable depth up the middle that is not be available once Arizona moves Vermette. Toronto would reportedly be looking for a first round pick in a deal for the 28-year-old center.
Teams don't think any more or less of Bozak than when the Leafs went 10-1 in the fall. His value remains the same as a 2-3 centre.
— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) February 15, 2015ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Toronto will wait to move forward Daniel Winnik till closer to March 2nd in hopes of garnering a better return for the pending free agent. Those hopes may have improved on Monday, as the Winnipeg Jets (one of the reportedly interest teams) lost forwards Mathieu Perreault and the recently acquired Drew Stafford to injuries in a 5-4 shootout win over Edmonton.
The Leafs are believed to be looking for a second and third-round pick or a second-rounder and prospect for the veteran winger.
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