Atlantic Notes: Dermott, Gardiner, Smith, Tolvanen
The Toronto Maple Leafs got some good news on the injury front. While Travis Dermott skated in a non-contact jersey Friday and again today Saturday, head coach Mike Babcock said the team hopes that Dermott will be back in the lineup next week, according to the Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby. That should be welcome news for Toronto, which has lost four of their last six games with both Dermott and Jake Gardiner out of the lineup.
Dermott, who has been out for almost four weeks now with a shoulder injury, has emerged as a solid defensive option for Toronto this year and has been much missed. The 22-year-old blueliner has four goals and 17 points in 60 games this season.
The news on Gardiner wasn’t as promising. Gardiner did make an appearance at practice, but did not skate and Babcock still has no timetable on when he might be ready to return. He’s been out with a back injury since Feb. 25.
- The Ottawa Senators Zack Smith is not playing Saturday due to a back injury and will remain day-to-day, according to Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. After a tough season a year ago when he posted just five goals and 19 points and was put on waivers at the start of the season, Smith has rebounded this year with 18 goals and 27 points. It still remains far short of his 25-goals season back in 2015-16, which propelled the Senators to sign him a year later to a four-year, $13MM deal, in which the Senators are stuck with his $3.25AAV for another two years.
- The Syracuse Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s AHL affiliate, announced that it has signed goaltender Atte Tolvanen, the brother of Nashville Predators’ star prospect Eeli Tolvanen, to an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The 24-year-old goalie just finished a four-year stint at Northern Michigan University, putting up a solid .917 save percentage in his senior year along with a 2.35 GAA in 39 appearanes. In four years for Northern Michigan, he’s appeared in 137 games, with a 2.41 GAA and a .918 save percentage. He will likely serve as the backup to Eddie Pasquale, the Crunch’s starting goalie, while prospect Connor Ingram has been returned to the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, continuing his strange demotion there.
Maple Leafs Notes: Babcock, Gardiner, Sandin
The Toronto Maple Leafs have gone through perhaps their worst stretch of the season recently, allowing 28 goals in their last six games highlighted by a 6-2 loss to the last place Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. That has many fans worried about their upcoming playoff appearance that will likely be against the Boston Bruins, a team that has knocked them out two of the last three times they’ve made it to the postseason. Like with any team that struggles, questions about the future of the head coach have started to bubble up, and James Mirtle of The Athletic tried to answer them in his latest mailbag (subscription required).
Mirtle admits that there is something of a “disconnect” between Mike Babcock and GM Kyle Dubas, but wouldn’t go so far as to say that there is any real fire under the head coach’s seat. In fact, he believes that Babcock’s pedigree will keep him in Toronto through 2019-20 regardless of what happens this postseason. It is important to remember that Babcock still has four years remaining on his current contract, one that pays him an average of $6.25MM per season.
- If Babcock wants to find any success this postseason he’ll have to hope his ailing defense can come together soon, and he received some good news on that front today. Jake Gardiner was on the ice to skate before practice, the first time he’s done any extensive work since his injury nearly a month ago. Gardiner has dealt with back problems all year, but could potentially be back in time to suit up in the playoffs. Fellow injured defenseman Travis Dermott was also on the ice prior to practice, but then joined his teammates while wearing a non-contract sweater. Dermott is expected to be back before Gardiner, though the team is running out of regular season games to get them back up to speed.
- One thing that was considered when Gardiner and Dermott went down was whether or not to call up top prospect Rasmus Sandin. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted on the radio today that the team believed that he isn’t quite ready to compete at the NHL level despite his strong showing in the minor leagues. Sandin, who turned 19 just a few weeks ago, was Toronto’s first-round pick last June and has 24 points in 37 games in the AHL. The quick-thinking defenseman has improved his stock tremendously and could potentially be a candidate for NHL time next season.
Toronto’s Jake Gardiner Still Has No Timetable For Return
The Toronto Maple Leafs have played 10 games without top-four defenseman Jake Gardiner, who has been out with a back injury, and it looks like the team misses him as they have struggled to a 5-4-1 record without him. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported late last night on Hockey Night in Canada that the Maple Leafs may be without Gardiner for quite a bit longer.
The 28-year-old blueliner has yet to resume skating and there is no timetable for his potential return. Despite often receiving the wrath of fans, Gardiner has been a key element to the team’s defense although his offense has dropped off this year. After posting 52 points last season, Gardiner has scored just two points and 27 assists in 60 games this year. Regardless, the team has struggled without the presence of Gardiner and defenseman Travis Dermott, who went down with shoulder injury on Feb. 27 and was expected to be out for four weeks and appears to be right on schedule.
It’s a tough situation for Toronto to be in after going out and acquiring Jake Muzzin in late January to bolster their defense. While there were rumors that Toronto was looking to add more depth to their defense, the team opted to stand pat defensively at the trade deadline, not realizing that they would lose two of their top-four defensemen not long thereafter. The team must put all their faith in their depth defensemen, including Martin Marincin, Justin Holl and Igor Ozhiganov. The team could also get some relief from the AHL as the team’s top defenseman, Calle Rosen, is close to returning from a foot injury and could fill in shortly.
Travis Dermott Out Four Weeks
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to deal with an incredibly thin blue line for most of the remainder of the season. The team announced today that Travis Dermott will be out for four weeks following the shoulder injury he sustained last night. Dermott was hit into the boards by Brad Malone of the Edmonton Oilers and immediately left the game in obvious pain.
Dermott will join Jake Gardiner on the shelf tonight as the Maple Leafs try to find a way around their defensive issues. Martin Marincin has been recalled to take his place while Justin Holl is expected to enter the lineup on the right side. The team is set to take on the New York Islanders in an important Eastern Conference matchup, and one that will see John Tavares make his return to Nassau Coliseum.
Originally selected 34th overall in 2015, Dermott has been quite the find for Toronto the past two seasons. Stepping into the lineup last year the mobile defender has proven he belongs at the NHL level and was given more responsibility this season. While he has still not completely earned the trust of head coach Mike Babcock, the 22-year old defenseman was already averaging more than 17 minutes a night on a team that has other experienced options on the left side. His future in Toronto looks bright, especially given Gardiner’s impending unrestricted free agency.
For now though Dermott will be out for almost the entire rest of the season. Four weeks from today would leave just five games left in the Maple Leafs’ season, meaning the young defenseman will need to get up to speed quickly if he is to play a role in the playoffs.
Toronto’s Defensive Depth Thinner Than Ever
For most of the season and even previous years, many have pointed to the Toronto Maple Leafs blue line as their obvious weakness. Even with their glut of talented forwards, the team struggled at times because of the lack of defensive awareness or skill on the back end. With Travis Dermott‘s emergence late last season that was partially corrected, and when the team went out and acquired Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings the group took another step forward. While they were obviously left-heavy, there was enough talent there to perhaps take the team deep into the playoffs. That’s why they ultimately decided against adding another name at the trade deadline, given the high prices floated around for available right-handed defensemen.
Now though, that decision looks like a mistake. The Maple Leafs announced yesterday that Jake Gardiner would be out on a week-to-week basis with a back injury, and then lost Dermott during the game to a shoulder injury. Head coach Mike Babcock used the same designation as Gardiner to describe Dermott’s injury timeline, though the team has not given any additional information. That’s two major pieces down in a matter of days, and James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Gardiner’s injury may actually be similar to the one Zach Parise dealt with that cost him 39 games last season. If that’s true, there’s a chance that Gardiner isn’t even ready to help the team in the playoffs at all.
The Maple Leafs will recall Martin Marincin today and will ice him alongside Justin Holl in tonight’s game against the New York Islanders. The pair has incredibly totaled just 20 games at any level this season, instead spending most of the year in the press box watching the action. That’s a disastrous place for a playoff contender to be in, even if both have shown at least some level of competence in the past.
Muzzin, who has averaged just over 19 minutes a game since arriving in Toronto (well under his career norm), will now have to take on much more responsibility down the stretch. He and Morgan Rielly will likely anchor the first two pairs and powerplay units, while Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev continue their work on the penalty kill.
After last night’s win against the Edmonton Oilers, the Maple Leafs sit third in the Atlantic Division but right on the heels of the Boston Bruins. The last 19 games of the season will determine who of those two receives home ice advantage in an almost certain first-round matchup, something that has had dire consequences in recent years. Without Gardiner and Dermott for a good chunk of the year, it will be extremely tough to secure that spot.
Minor Transactions: 12/03/18
Just three games grace the NHL schedule this evening, while the Board of Governors meet to discuss the future of the league. The best matchup may just be the upstart Buffalo Sabres taking on the powerhouse Nashville Predators, in a game that could have implications in each team’s respective division. The Sabres have lost control of the Atlantic after holding top spot for a moment, while the Predators are now tied with the Avalanche atop the Central. While the rest of the league licks their wounds and determines how to approach the upcoming week, we’ll have all the minor moves right here.
- Speaking of the Predators, the team has sent Anthony Richard back to the minor leagues after he made his debut on the weekend. Nick Bonino is expected to be put back in the lineup after his recent illness, leaving no room for the young Richard to contribute.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Travis Dermott to the AHL in a paper transaction in order to make room for William Nylander, but was recalled again immediately after the Josh Leivo trade. Dermott has established himself as a full-time member of the Maple Leafs’ blue line, and is a big part of what they’re trying to build in Toronto.
- Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson is on his way back to the Boston Bruins after having been down for only a day himself, and could be back in the lineup tomorrow night. The young Bruins’ forward has split his time this season between Boston and Providence, but is still trying to become the offensive difference-maker that he showed he could be in college.
- The Arizona Coyotes have recalled forward Conor Garland from the minor leagues after Michael Grabner was moved to injured reserve. Garland has yet to suit up in an NHL game but has a long history of offensive production. An MVP of the QMJHL, the fifth-round pick scored 129 and 128 points in back to back seasons for the Moncton Wildcats.
- Ilya Kovalchuk has been officially moved to injured reserve with his ankle injury, and will be out for at least a month. The Kings will hope recently added forwards like Brendan Leipsic and Nikita Scherbak can help carry the offensive load while Kovalchuk recovers.
Minor Transactions: 12/02/18
After a busy slate of games yesterday, including a handful of notable upsets, as well as quite a few recalls and reassignments, there are another six games on the docket today and anticipated moves to accompany them. The Ducks and Capitals kick things off with an afternoon matinee, while the Sharks and Canadiens highlight the nighttime lineup as San Jose looks to shake a four-game losing streak. As teams prepare for games today or simply the first full week of December action, keep up with all of the transactions here:
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have swapped backup goaltenders once again, recalling Eddie Pasquale and sending Connor Ingram back to the minor leagues. The team will likely continue this type of swap in order to keep their netminders fresh and ready for game action. Pasquale got into a pair of games for the Syracuse Crunch over the last few days.
- Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson is on his way back to the Providence Bruins, sent down to the AHL by Boston. The 22-year old forward has played in nine games for both Boston and Providence this year, but will have to continue his season in the minor leagues.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a paper transaction by sending defenseman Travis Dermott to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL to make space on the NHL roster for William Nylander, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Dermott, who is not required to pass through waivers to free up a roster spot, is expected to return before Tuesday’s game against Buffalo.