UPDATE: 12:45PM:
"@NHLPlayerSafety: David Clarkson suspension video: http://t.co/ZHjSPZY1dB" Two games.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) December 14, 2013The Maple Leafs have faced their share of challenges this season, including injuries at a position they were already thin at and players performing well below expectations, but those hurdles have been exacerbated even further by leading the NHL in suspensions.
Toronto has had five players penalized by the NHL. Phil Kessel served the final three games of the pre-season for the stick-swinging incident on Buffalo’s John Scott and the same incident cost David Clarkson the first 10 games of the regular season for leaving the bench. The suspension was an error in judgment for the Leafs free-agent prize and has contributed to his career with the Blue and White getting off on the wrong foot.
Carter Ashton was suspended two games for hitting Calgary Flames defenseman Derek Smith into the boards in Toronto’s last road regulation victory on October 30, Nazem Kadri received three games for running over Minnesota’s goaltender Niklas Backstrom on November 13 and team captain Dion Phaneuf was penalized two games for a hit from behind on Boston’s Kevan Miller last Sunday.
By this time, the Leafs have Brendan Shanahan’s office on speed dial, as David Clarkson faces a phone hearing on Saturday for a hit to the head of St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka in the 6-3 loss on Thursday. A suspension to Clarkson would seem to be a bit overzealous on the league’s part, as the video shows the initial point of contact being the Leaf forward’s upper arm to Sobotka's chest, but the follow through was the top of Clarkson's shoulder hitting Sobotka's jaw.
The Blues forward did not appear phased and showed no ill effects after the hit, which is normally a factor in any supplemental discipline being dished out, but with the league handing out suspensions like early Christmas presents in the last week, it is possible that the Leafs forward will be suspended for the second time.
Toronto’s lack of discipline has coincided with their declining performance in November and early December. Toronto’s penalty-killing, which was at the top of the NHL for the lockout shortened season and the first month of 2013-14 has plummeted to 27th in the league.
Suspensions to Kadri and Phaneuf were especially inconveniencing for head coach Randy Carlyle, because they were totally avoidable and occurred when the Toronto lineup was at it’s most vulnerable.
Kadri was suspended with both Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland out injured, which forced Carlyle to move James van Riemsdyk up the middle and play Jay McClement as a top two center.
Phaneuf was lost for two games against Western Conference powerhouses LA and St. Louis, forcing Carlyle to play Paul Ranger and Mark Fraser more minutes, when playing them at all is putting his club in peril.
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Toronto faces an uphill battle on Saturday, as the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Air Canada Center. It will be the Leafs third game in four nights against a Chicago club that shows no signs of a Stanley Cup hangover, as they lead the NHL with 51 points and have a league best 12 wins on the road.
After three losses to begin December, the Hawks have bounced back with three straight victories over Florida, Dallas and Philadelphia, scoring six or more goals in each win.
Patrick Kane is second in NHL scoring with 42 points, trailing Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby by two points.
Olympic hopeful Corey Crawford is expected to be out the rest of December with a groin injury, so Finnish import Antti Raanta is expected to get the start. Raanta is 3-0-1 in four starts since Crawford’s injury and has a sparkling 2.12 GAA and .926 save percentage in seven games.
Indications from the morning skate on Saturday are that Jonathan Bernier will make the start for the Leafs, after replacing James Reimer in the first period on Thursday. Reimer was the victim of a sluggish effort from his teammates and allowed three goals on fifteen shots, but was not faulted by Carlyle in his post-game remarks.
Bernier will be making third start in the last four games, which may be indicative of a change in the goaltending rotation that has been present all season. Reimer won Toronto’s last victory in Ottawa last Saturday and has played particularly well on Hockey Night In Canada, with a 4-2-0 record this season.
Carlyle appears ready to make some overdue changes on the blueline for Saturday’s game, as he spoke with Fraser and Ranger after the morning skate. The pair went a combined -5 in St. Louis and may sit in favor of Phaneuf and John-Michael Liles.
With Clarkson’s suspension, Troy Bodie has been recalled to play in his place and Carter Ashton has been sent to the Toronto Marlies. Bodie likely will play with Mason Raymond and Trevor Smith, with van Riemsdyk-Kadri-Kessel staying intact as well the line of Peter Holland centering Joffrey Lupul and Nikolai Kulemin, which skated as a unit Saturday morning.
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