This week will be quite the test for Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving.
There was not much choice for Treliving except to add another defenseman before the National Hockey League trade deadline on Friday at 3 p.m., before Ilya Lyubushkin suffered a head injury on Saturday after he was smashed into the corner boards by New York Rangers rookie forward Matt Rempe.
On Monday, when the Leafs assemble at Scotiabank Arena for the morning skate in front of a pivotal Atlantic Division game against the Boston Bruins, we should have a better understanding of the degree of Lyubushkin’s injury.
In any case, Treliving is under more pressure than ever to sign a new defenseman. The Leafs are already without the injured Mark Giordano, so they have to hope that Lyubushkin’s injury won’t keep him out of the starting lineup for a long time. It would be necessary to enhance the physicality and depth that Lyubushkin offered to the team upon his acquisition from the Anaheim Ducks, and that was before to his injury.
Following his trade of a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick for Lyubushkin, Treliving must find a way to make anything work with two fewer assets.
The names remain the same: among the right-shooting defensemen connected to the Leafs in rumors are Matt Dumba, Sean Walker, and Alexandre Carriere. Treliving has an obligation to close another contract.
That would be the thrilling, action-packed hockey that the Leafs and Rangers played. With the Bruins in town, we will undoubtedly have another fill.
Any game versus the Leafs is always intense and close, despite the Bruins’ recent struggles (they have lost eight of their previous 11 games and four of their last five).
This season, the Bruins have defeated the Leafs in both of their meetings; on November 2 in Boston via shootout and on December 2 in Toronto via overtime.
Thursday is the final game of the season series in Boston. There’s every reason to think that the Leafs and Bruins’ two games this week will serve as a first-round preview.
For Toronto, that would be a better matchup. The Florida Panthers, who many analysts believe will win the Eastern Conference and get to the Stanley Cup final, are most certainly the backup option.
Since February 1, the Leafs have gone 10-3-0, arguably their greatest hockey play of the year. The Leafs have the most goals in the NHL with 57, and the only other teams with 10 wins during that time are the Rangers and Panthers.
Max Domi declared, “This is what it’s all about,” following his game-winning goal in the shootout victory over the Rangers. These are the situations you could find yourself in: ahead by one, tied heading into the third, or tied going into overtime against a really strong club.
That’s the prerequisite for success. When the chips are down and you’re trying to score two points, you need to be confident.
Nick Robertson was caught up in a couple things, which led to his relegation to the Toronto Marlies on Saturday.
The return of Calle Jarnkrok from a broken knuckle necessitated a roster adjustment, and Robertson’s waiver-exempt status did not help his case.
Sheldon Keefe, the coach of the Leafs, met with Robertson early on Saturday morning to discuss the 22-year-old winger’s decision to withdraw from the starting lineup.
Around him, guys have performed well, according to Keefe. “Ryan Reaves has performed exceptionally well, Bobby McMann has played well, and Pontus Holmberg has played well.
“All I’m trying to tell him is that the league is difficult. Getting consistent scores is difficult. I believe he is starting to understand that having a very well-rounded game is essential when you are not going to score.
Keefe has nothing against Robertson.
Keefe stated, “He has played well for us.” He has played some of his greatest hockey when he has entered and exited our lineup. We’ve had an adrenaline and energy lift from him coming in.
“He has demonstrated that he will do the same for us when his opportunity presents itself.”
Prior to being traded to the Marlies, Robertson had played in 14 games with one goal and five assists.
If you believe that Robertson would be better off starting over with a another NHL team, consider the accomplishments of players like Trevor Moore, Mason Marchment, and Sean Durzi who were dealt by Toronto. We would gladly welcome any one of them back.
Lyubushkin. Although no penalty was called, it appeared to have all the necessary components for charging. With his current 10-game point streak, William Nylander is tied for second most in franchise history with Mitch Marner. This is the fourth time in his NHL career that he has experienced a run like this. With six, Darryl Sittler owns the record. Nylander is the first player in Leafs history to have three different seasons with three or more 10-game point streaks.In 17 games against the Bruins in his career, Auston Matthews has scored 12 goals, three of which were against Boston in 2023–2024 for Toronto. At this rate, Matthews has scored 73 goals this season. Easton Cowan, a Leafs prospect, has a 29-game point streak after recording three assists in the London Knights’ 4-3 victory over the Flint Firebirds on Saturday. The first-round selection of the Leafs will play 30 games when the Knights play the Guelph Storm on Wednesday. Starting against Barrie on November 25, Cowan has amassed 55 points (21 goals and 34 assists) during the run.
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