The Toronto Marlies are one win away from the Conference Finals, Darren Dreger discusses the Lou Lamoriello to New York rumours, and more in the links.
Leafs Links
Dreger: Lamoriello joining the Isles is a very real possibility (TSN1050)
Darren Dreger joined Leafs Breakfast to discuss the rumours that Lamoriello could move on to New York to join his son Chris in the Islanders front office, as well as the report that Mike Babcock met with Auston Matthews over the weekend.
Dreger on the Lamoriello-to-New York rumours:
It’s certainly a possibility. Our information [Bob McKenzie and I’s] is very similar from different sources that it’s possible if not likely that Lou Lamoriello may in fact join the New York Islanders.
The information can change, but if – and this is a big if – my sense is it’s in a higher up capacity and not as GM, which would be a bit surprising to me. I think the juice is still flowing for Lou Lamoriello as far as the everyday decision-making. It would be difficult for him, if Garth Snow maintains his job as GM, to be peering over his shoulder.
There are still a lot of questions that require answers but some pretty high sources I’m dealing with at the Worlds are hearing and suggesting that that’s the likelihood – that Lou moves on.
Dreger on whether Lamoriello would need a significant title in order to make a move to the Islanders:
President of Hockey Operations, or something along those lines – I’d tend to agree. This is all high-level speculation at this stage. These things can change minute to minute. But I get the same sense. Lou is never going to divulge the conversations that he and Brendan Shanahan had that may have contributed to Shanahan making the decision to move away from Lamoriello as GM and kick him over to the advisory side of things. But my sense of it is that wouldn’t have been Lou’s choice. My sense is his preference would’ve been to hang in there as GM for at least one more season. But that’s just the sense I have from others who seem to be familiar with what’s going on with the Maple Leafs.
Dreger on the reports of Mike Babcock meeting with Auston Matthews in Arizona:
When I was connecting with Mike for Dreger Café purposes, we just swapped a little bit of intel. I asked him about what had been reported, about him going to Arizona to meet with Auston Matthews. He didn’t deny that he was going to meet with Matthews and probably had already, but the truth is, it’s family vacation. Him and his wife and daughter are visiting some family friends and they were going to do some sightseeing and do what families do during the offseason. It’s more than coincidental that they chose Arizona but, again, they’re visiting a family friend. He’s making his way over to Denmark in a few days and there is no question he is going to meet with Frederik Andersen. He is doing a bit of a tour, which isn’t abnormal. Coaches do this.
… I would describe it as unusual, yes, just based on the timing of it [two weeks after the season]. What is probably just as unusual is the fact that the information got out. There are coaches around the league that do this year by year.
Marlies in the driver’s seat against Syracuse after emphatic Game 3 win (MLHS)
Mark Rackham has your recap of a big Marlies win in a back-to-back situation in Game 3, giving them a commanding 3-0 series lead against last year’s nemesis, the Syracuse Crunch. After a two-goal performance, Trevor Moore now leads all AHL scorers in post-season points (9).
What are Maple Leafs goaltending options for next year? (Sportsnet)
Steve Dangle speculates on what the Leafs goaltending situation behind Frederik Andersen might look like in 2018-19.
Crunch look to turn page after being overwhelmed by Marlies (AuburnPub)
“It was everything. Execution. Effort. Will,” Crunch forward Kevin Lynch said. “Just all over the ice in all three zones they were beating us to loose pucks. They were outworking us and just outsmarting us. It was not good enough.”
Pickard’s ‘fresh legs’ help Marlies take commanding 3-0 series lead (Toronto Sun)
“I’m glad I could step in with fresh legs,” said Pickard. “It was settled last night that I’d play, I had a good rest and a good skate this morning.”
