Advertisement

The latest from the news wire and rumour mill as we race towards the 3 p.m. trade deadline.

Update (4:00 p.m. EST)

The last moves are in before the final bell — the Leafs got their depth defenseman in Ben Hutton and moved Alex Barabanov on to a new opportunity (Analysis).

Update (1:00 p.m. EST)

As we await any final trade activity from the Leafs in the final two hours, Nick Foligno joined the TSN and Sportsnet broadcasts to discuss the trade to Toronto and his fit in the Leafs‘ lineup. Foligno indicated Toronto was both his preferred destination and the team that offered the Blue Jackets the best available deal, something he called a “win-win.” He also called on his experience in Columbus in believing he can slot in just about anywhere in the team’s lineup, whether it’s to complement a top-six line or to provide a shutdown presence further down the lineup.

Sportsnet’s Kevin Bieksa told the story of the time Nick Foligno and John Gibson were getting into it on the ice, Bieksa wanted to fight, and there was a miscommunication that led to Bieksa picking up a minor penalty. Foligno waited outside the locker room to clear the air and explain himself. Bieksa was struck by the, “hugely high-character and classy move.”

Foligno: “You wanted to fight, and I didn’t. I didn’t know you had your gloves off. I felt bad. I would’ve. I don’t know if I would’ve loved fighting you, but I would’ve. You had that Superman punch everyone was afraid of. I felt terrible. I didn’t want you to think I was bailing out on you. It was a miscommunication, we’ll call it, and I wanted to clear the air.”

Update (11:30 a.m. EST)

On the TSN TradeCentre broadcast, Bob McKenzie provided the latest on the Frederik Andersen situation and whether the Leafs goaltender will remain on LTIR for the remainder of the regular season.

There is no doubt that a good chunk of Andersen’s LTI relief money is being used on other players right now. Were he to come back into the lineup before the end of the regular season, it might become difficult if not impossible for the Leafs to fit him in. It would depend on what happens with injuries between now and then.

We can’t say 100% that he won’t play another regular season game, but you also have it look at it practically. He hasn’t been on the ice now for three-plus weeks. There is no forecast on when he is going to be back on the ice, and it is going to take a while before he is back in the swing of things. The season is over in a month. The reality is that maybe Freddy won’t play the balance of the regular season.

The uncertainty of his situation and the uncertainty that goes with Jack Campbell’s health, depending on the week and how many games he played, that’s a reason they went and acquired David Rittich.

At Blue Jackets practice, the eminently-quotable John Tortorella provided an excellent soundbite on the departure of captain Nick Foligno to Toronto:

Update (10:30 a.m. EST)

Chris Johnston is reporting this morning that the Leafs are certain to make another move before 3 p.m:

I know they’re not done. They still have at least one more move coming. I think it is likely to be a depth defenseman. I would be surprised, given the Leafs have some cap space in LTI, if the Leafs didn’t make use of it. It is pretty clear based on what we have seen so far that they’re all-in. They don’t want to leave themselves short anywhere.

With a defensive depth center (Riley Nash), a versatile top-nine winger (Nick Foligno), and goaltending depth (David Rittich) all added to the fold, the obvious target remaining is extra defensive depth.

Elliotte Friedman reported on Sportsnet 590 this morning, “The Leafs want to reach 3 p.m. today knowing they’ve done everything they can to ice the best team possible.”

Canadiens defenseman Victor Mete is currently available for free on the waiver wire. The Leafs are very low in the waiver priority order and surely there is other interest in a flyer on Mete around the league, but one imagines the Leafs will submit a claim here given it’s a free acquisition cost and Mete is a mobile, NHL-quality puck-moving defenseman who makes $735k before becoming an RFA this offseason.  Mete’s destination will be known by Noon EST.

Jamie Oleksiak’s name continues to swirl in the rumour mill as well, with Elliotte Friedman loosely linking him to Toronto over the past week. If Jim Nill does opt to move him, the Stars blue liner would be a more substantial addition at a larger acquisition cost — he’s playing over 20 minutes a night, including 1:30 per game on the penalty kill, after playing nearly 22 minutes per night in the Stars’ top four during Dallas’ run to the Cup final last October.

Oleksiak is another player who fits Kyle Dubas’ preferred profile of late: a rental who adds some jam, more than a little size (6’7, 255), can play the game, is strong defensively, offers some special-teams (i.e. PK) utility, and is a high-character individual. Paid $2.137 million this season, Oleksiak would give the Leafs some top-four cover in case of injury as well (more than just a depth add).

On the cap front, the Leafs have between $2-2.5 million to work with assuming Frederik Andersen is unlikely to return until playoff time (with just a month left in the regular season and Andersen still yet to skate, factoring in David Rittich add, the tea leaves certainly read that way).

Philadelphia’s Erik Gustafsson is also possibly a rental defenseman on the move today — he can play both sides of the rink, but the Leafs would need an element of retention on his $3 million AAV. Gustafsson is a totally different player than Oleksiak — more of a sheltered bottom-pairing puck-moving option who has played a prominent role on the Flyers power play this season. A similar dynamic applies with Arizona’s veteran defenseman, Alex Goligoski, who is on an expiring $5.475 million contract.

Stay tuned. The Leafs reportedly aren’t done.

 

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR