Concerns for the last dozen days; Leafs vs Panthers
March 28, 2017, 6:04 PM ET [51 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
For the latest Leafs updates or on Twitter
The Toronto Maple Leafs face a difficult test in the final 12 days of the 2016-17 regular season, beginning with their contest against the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday.
The Leafs are currently third in the Atlantic Division (85 points) with eight games left that will determine whether they will make the playoffs for the first time in an 82-game schedule since 2004, but have just a one point lead on Boston, with Tampa Bay and New York close behind in the race for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots.
The Lightning rallied from a 4-1 second period deficit on Monday to beat Chicago 5-4 and move to within two points of the Leafs, while the Islanders lost their fifth in a row on home ice to Nashville and remain three points in back of Toronto.
The challenge in front of Mike Babcock’s young squad has been exacerbated by the uncertain status of goalie Frederik Andersen, who was injured on Saturday and will miss his first non back-to-back start of the season against Florida.
Andersen once again worked with Leafs goalie coach Steve Briere and participated in team drills on Tuesday, but Curtis McElhinney will get the start for Toronto, Garret Sparks (on emergency recall) will backup and it is unknown how long the Leafs starter will be out.
“I felt pretty good, it’s tough to compare like that (his feelings after yesterday’s practice), but it’s looking pretty positive.” Andersen said after the morning skate. “Anytime you come back from injury, you just want to make sure you feel as close to where you want to be. At this time of year, you want to waste too much time getting there, so you want to work hard and get back as quick as possible.”
Following Florida, Toronto hits the road for the final time with games in Nashville, Detroit and Buffalo, before ending with a four-game home stand against Washington, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Columbus.
Andersen is hopeful to be back as soon as Thursday against the Predators, but medical clearance could push his return to Saturday at Joe Louis Arena or into the final week.
With two back-to-backs remaining, McElhinney is likely to make at least three of the remaining eight starts even if Andersen is ready on Thursday and may have to start more if he is out longer.
Defenseman Roman Polak will make his return to the lineup after serving his two-game suspension and rookie Kasperi Kapanen will make his first NHL start this season on the fourth line with veterans Matt Martin and Brian Boyle.
The Panthers lost 4-2 in Buffalo on Monday, as former Leaf James Reimer allowed four goals on 22 shots before being pulled in favor of backup Reto Berra. Reimer has gone 4-7-1 in March but is expected to get the start.
*******
Defenseman Morgan Rielly was named the Maple Leafs nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
The Leafs 2012 top pick has been challenged and given a most difficult assignment in his fourth NHL season, as head coach Mike Babcock is utilizing him mostly in a shutdown role against the opposition’s top line.
“(It’s the) first time I ever had a 23-year-old nominated for that award.” Babcock said “I think he’s one of the best young players in the world. Obviously Canada did last year in the World (Championships) and played for (Team North America at the World Cup ) on the #1 pair.”
March 28, 2017, 6:04 PM ET [51 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
For the latest Leafs updates or on Twitter
The Toronto Maple Leafs face a difficult test in the final 12 days of the 2016-17 regular season, beginning with their contest against the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday.
The Leafs are currently third in the Atlantic Division (85 points) with eight games left that will determine whether they will make the playoffs for the first time in an 82-game schedule since 2004, but have just a one point lead on Boston, with Tampa Bay and New York close behind in the race for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots.
The Lightning rallied from a 4-1 second period deficit on Monday to beat Chicago 5-4 and move to within two points of the Leafs, while the Islanders lost their fifth in a row on home ice to Nashville and remain three points in back of Toronto.
The challenge in front of Mike Babcock’s young squad has been exacerbated by the uncertain status of goalie Frederik Andersen, who was injured on Saturday and will miss his first non back-to-back start of the season against Florida.
Andersen once again worked with Leafs goalie coach Steve Briere and participated in team drills on Tuesday, but Curtis McElhinney will get the start for Toronto, Garret Sparks (on emergency recall) will backup and it is unknown how long the Leafs starter will be out.
“I felt pretty good, it’s tough to compare like that (his feelings after yesterday’s practice), but it’s looking pretty positive.” Andersen said after the morning skate. “Anytime you come back from injury, you just want to make sure you feel as close to where you want to be. At this time of year, you want to waste too much time getting there, so you want to work hard and get back as quick as possible.”
Following Florida, Toronto hits the road for the final time with games in Nashville, Detroit and Buffalo, before ending with a four-game home stand against Washington, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Columbus.
Andersen is hopeful to be back as soon as Thursday against the Predators, but medical clearance could push his return to Saturday at Joe Louis Arena or into the final week.
With two back-to-backs remaining, McElhinney is likely to make at least three of the remaining eight starts even if Andersen is ready on Thursday and may have to start more if he is out longer.
Defenseman Roman Polak will make his return to the lineup after serving his two-game suspension and rookie Kasperi Kapanen will make his first NHL start this season on the fourth line with veterans Matt Martin and Brian Boyle.
The Panthers lost 4-2 in Buffalo on Monday, as former Leaf James Reimer allowed four goals on 22 shots before being pulled in favor of backup Reto Berra. Reimer has gone 4-7-1 in March but is expected to get the start.
*******
Defenseman Morgan Rielly was named the Maple Leafs nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
The Leafs 2012 top pick has been challenged and given a most difficult assignment in his fourth NHL season, as head coach Mike Babcock is utilizing him mostly in a shutdown role against the opposition’s top line.
“(It’s the) first time I ever had a 23-year-old nominated for that award.” Babcock said “I think he’s one of the best young players in the world. Obviously Canada did last year in the World (Championships) and played for (Team North America at the World Cup ) on the #1 pair.”
» utube 7/25/24 MM&C Iraq Dinar Update - IQD Revaluation-Key Indicators - Deposit Insurance -Arbitra
» utube 7/23/24 MM&C Iraq Dinar-Prime Minister Advisors-Saleh-Al-Nusairi-Facts bringng facts-Reforms
» MMK&C 7/21/24 Government Advisor: Adopting auditing of foreign transfers contributes
» MM&C 7/21/24 Proposed measures to address the rise of the dollar
» Iraq ranks high in income inequality among citizens
» Within months.. Al-Imar: The amount of loans disbursed amounted to about 750 billion dinars
» Parliamentary Integrity confirms the start of opening the files of former officials
» Iraq and the German Development Bank sign an amendment to the loan agreement to finance a number of
» Regional oil...between export ban and smuggling suspicions
» Economist: Faw Port is an important step towards sustainable economic development and a major gatewa
» Parliamentary Investment "Mocks" Solution to Housing Crisis in Complexes: "Joke" and Government Must
» Multi-million dollar agreement to support Iraqi agriculture
» From Chaos to Law.. The Crowd Breathes with the First Reading of “Service and Retirement”
» Oil Minister inaugurates first phase of associated water injection project in Rumaila field
» Water Resources: The reality of desertification in Iraq is better than before
» Disappearance of 50,000 Pakistani tourists in Iraq.. Government position: We will start the investig
» Iraq reveals the value of its agricultural exports: 400 thousand tons in 6 months
» Electricity directs the rapid implementation of the solar power plant project in Khanaqin
» Worth $20 billion.. Iraq is second in trade exchanges with Iran
» (56) megawatt card.. Opening of the gas power plant in Majnoon field
» Parliamentary Committee: Amending this law will address many problems
» Iraq and the German Development Bank (KFW) sign an amendment to the loan agreement to finance a numb
» Finance discusses regulating the work of government banks with international auditing firm Ernst & Y
» The Prime Minister receives the approval of the coalition of companies that won the investment oppor
» US Ambassador: We helped Iraq with $3.6 billion in the displaced file
» In two stages.. The Minister of Oil inaugurates the associated water injection project in the Rumail
» Who manipulated the budget settings? Adding 15 trillion dinars for the benefit of the people or for
» Statement of the Iraqi Communist Workers’ Party on the “Personal Status Law Amendment” Project
» The American arm has become short.. Iraq will eradicate the “SDF” from Syria
» The idea of the “Sunni region” is maturing again.. The insistence of Western politicians collides
» Iraq takes its share of negative development and faces “electronic blackmail”
» Education in Iraq: Between the lack of schools and the delay in providing supplies
» Economist lays out solutions to get rid of the dollar’s dominance: moving towards a currency baske
» The Presidency of the Republic issues a special pardon for a bank manager accused of embezzlement
» The Ministry of Agriculture reveals the volume of its exported products in numbers
» Transport reveals its latest steps towards lifting the European ban on Iraqi Airways
» "Doors are closed" in Parliament.. Will political pressures result in the election of a new presiden
» Prime Minister's Advisor: Kirkuk government formation will be decided within 20 days
» US dollar exchange rate stability in Baghdad
» Reconstruction: New applications for Housing Fund loans will be opened when liquidity is available
» The US Federal Reserve adopts a new strategy towards Iraq.. The dollar is threatened with rising to
» First government comment on the leakage of 50 thousand Pakistanis in Iraq
» Parliamentary Integrity Committee announces keeping the session hosting the Minister of Water Resour
» Parliamentarian reveals the reason for the recent talk about the Sunni region
» Secrets of the Coordination Framework meeting with the Sunni forces.. Three proposals to resolve the
» Iraqis' spending on tourism is equivalent to the electricity budget.. What is the number of traveler
» "Two Papers of the Tashah in Parliament"... Warnings against implicating the legislative institution
» Turkish Minister reveals details about the security corridor in Iraq and the development road projec
» Does it stipulate the marriage of minors? What does the paragraph amending the Personal Status Law i
» One of the motives of the "salary scale".. Iraq is ranked 87th globally in "income inequality"
» "Vigilant Guardian"... Harmonious Supervisory Cooperation to Guarantee Citizens' Deposits in Iraqi B
» Saleh: The Central Bank's dollar reserves are solid and the GDP rate is very optimistic
» Economist accuses political parties of controlling the exchange rate on the black market
» Minister calls for establishing centers for Turkish commercial agencies inside Iraq
» 98% increase in foreign remittance sales at the Central Bank of Iraq auction
» Important meeting between Al-Sudani and the "Arabs of Kirkuk" to decide on the formation of the prov
» Housing projects in the Kurdistan Region are expensive internally and suitable externally
» Slight decline in the "green paper" in Baghdad stock exchanges
» OPEC: Iraq, Russia to compensate for surplus oil production
» Economist: The Iraqi banking sector has achieved significant growth
» Does integrity interfere with the work of institutions when they conduct investigations into suspici
» Parliamentary Finance: The Central Bank agrees to increase the capital of the Real Estate Bank to ex
» The region lags behind "electronic systems".. Transactions are still paper-based and the authenticit
» Media Authority: We are working on strategic agreements with global companies to bridge cybersecurit
» Al-Sudani stresses the importance of completing the formation of the Kirkuk government and reaching
» The region lags behind "electronic systems".. Transactions are still paper-based and the authenticit
» Iraq prepares to sign strategic agreements with global companies to bridge the digital divide in the
» Exporting (10) million liters of black oil daily.. Oil: Karbala has become an oil port that supplies
» Used as a gift and used for fraud.. The Central Bank warns against the circulation of commemorative
» Judge Faeq Zidane: International cooperation is important in the field of combating terrorism
» Al-Abbasi: Framing the relationship with Washington according to the Iraqi constitution
» Within 6 months.. The European ban on the green bird will be resolved
» Thwarting the smuggling of 21 million liters of petroleum derivatives
» Record
» Production of 24 thousand electric cars annually
» The second phase of the campaign (restricting weapons to the state) begins
» Inclusion of social protection beneficiaries in internal contracts
» The Prime Minister directs the rapid completion of Baghdad entrance projects
» Minister of Labor announces launch of health insurance service for social protection beneficiaries
» Via "Baghdad Today" .. Oil Minister announces increasing social benefits to 10 million dollars
» Joint Statement by the Iraqi and US Ministries of Defense
» Al-Sudani meets with a delegation from the American engineering consulting company KBR
» Kurdistan procrastinates to obtain the "lion's share".. Discontent over the delay in localizing empl
» Withdrawal is "Out of Reach"... Analysis of the Joint Iraqi-American Statement
» Al-Sudani stresses the importance of completing the formation of the Kirkuk government and reaching
» "Black Money" Fuels Investment Stock Exchange.. Countries That Prospered with Looted Iraqi Money
» Central Bank warns against circulation of $1 million commemorative notes
» Planning for “Al-Zawraa”: The five-year plan targets different sectors and does not include traditio
» “Unfair and deepens sectarianism”.. Why did the amendment to the Personal Status Law spark anger in
» Launching an electronic application for Iraqi retirees
» The crowd responds to Halbousi: A person convicted of forgery is not qualified to appoint himself as
» Al-Fayadh: We appreciate the Iraqi Parliament’s progress with the first reading of the service and r
» Nassif: The political process needs Al-Sadr and Al-Maliki to “rule” it
» Al-Mandlawi winks at Al-Halbousi: We reject insulting those who presented thousands of martyrs
» adhere to the rules of the Islamic religion and needs to be reformulated (tweet)
» Sarwa Abdul Wahid: The rivalry between Baghdad and Erbil is just "clacks"
» Parliamentary Finance: The Central Bank of Iraq’s measures to change the exchange rate did not achie
» Al-Sudani meets with Kirkuk Arabs to decide on the provincial government