Hockey Central
Eric Staal may be just the right piece for the Maple Leafs
March 11 2021
As we approach the two month mark of the NHL season it is becoming clearer which teams will be buyers and which will be sellers come April 12 — this year’s trade deadline.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be buyers as we near the halfway mark of a season that may provide them with their best chance to contend for a Stanley Cup in recent memory. Their current three-game losing streak aside, the Leafs have dominated the rest of the opposition in the North Division for much of the season.
Toronto won’t have to face an opponent from another division until the third round, if they get that far. So, the idea that GM Kyle Dubas may push his chips to the middle of the table and go all-in this season makes sense. With that in mind, let’s take a look at which players make the most sense as trade deadline targets for a team looking to win its first Stanley Cup in over half a century.
Contending teams should be, and likely are, tripping over each other to make a pitch for the Nashville Predators defenceman. The Preds sit eight points out of a playoff spot in the Central Division and have some big decisions to make in terms of the short-term direction of their team. Ekholm has one year left on a contract with a cap hit of $3.75 million per year. At 30 years of age, he likely provides the Predators with the best possible return among players they may make available.
A left shot, Ekholm has experience playing both sides of the ice and could give the Leafs one heck of a shutdown duo on their second pair with Jake Muzzin. Ekholm plays all situations and has chipped in nine points in 19 games this season. He is a strong puck mover who snaps a good first pass out of the defensive zone.
Ekholm completes an average of 2.6 stretch passes per game, which ranks 15th among all defencemen. The Maple Leafs complete more stretch passes per game than all but six teams in the NHL, so this is a skill that would fit nicely with a team that likes to attack with speed. Overall, Ekholm ranks top-30 among defencemen in controlled zone exits and entries.
The Maple Leafs emphasize puck possession and Ekholm is a player who can move it out and up the ice efficiently. Ekholm also uses his skating ability to recover loose pucks, averaging 23.6 puck recoveries per game (38th) and he uses his size to push opponents off the puck, averaging 2.9 puck battle wins per game (37th).
What would it cost to acquire the versatile Swede? Likely a first round draft pick and a prospect, similar to what the Maple Leafs had to give up to acquire Muzzin.
There aren’t many teams that can boast the kind of firepower from their forwards Toronto can. While Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have played most of the season with either Joe Thornton or Zach Hyman on their wing, the second line left wing position has been more of a rotating cast of players. Alex Kerfoot, Jimmy Vesey and Ilya Mikheyev have all spent more than 40 minutes on the left side of John Tavares and William Nylander.
Enter Mikael Granlund of the Nashville Predators. Granlund is a bit of a Swiss army knife. He can play wing or centre, kill penalties, play on the power play and is in the final year of a contract with an annual average value of $3.75 million. Listed at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, Granlund is a lot to handle in the offensive zone. He’s strong on the puck, has the skill to possess it at length, wins battles at a high rate and generates scoring chances off the cycle at a top-50 rate.
On a line with Tavares, who is almost impossible to knock off the puck, and Nylander, a skilled playmaker and scorer, Granlund could prove to be a nice fit. Beyond that, Granlund could also be used as a third-line centre. He’s seen time as Nashville’s top line centre this season, so he could be a nice fit on Toronto’s third line with Hyman and Ilya Mikheyev if Pierre Engvall falters.
The Maple Leafs definitely have existing options at second line left wing and third line centre, but Granlund would add more competition and insurance if others around him drop off in play or get injured.
Since Nazem Kadri was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, the Maple Leafs haven’t had a forward grab hold of the third line centre spot, perhaps until now. As mentioned, Engvall has found magic with Hyman and Mikheyev which may lessen the desire to look for a bottom-six centre. However, whether this line will hold up over the long haul and into the playoffs still remains to be seen.
Even if they do, the Maple Leafs haven’t had any issue adding players they feel can help the team win and finding a spot for them (see Joe Thornton). With that in mind, Eric Staal might still be a player of interest. A former captain and Stanley Cup champion, Staal has the type of experience that any contending team with a young core would find valuable.
Hockey Central
Eric Staal may be just the right piece for the Maple Leafs
March 11 2021
Although he is having a down year in Buffalo — who isn’t — Staal is only one year removed from scoring 19 goals and 47 points in 66 games. With a better supporting cast around him, it would be reasonable to expect Staal to produce offensively at a higher rate than the nine points he’s collected in 24 games with the Sabres this season.
Staal has completed 22 passes into the slot at even-strength, which ranks 57th among all forwards. When he doesn’t have the puck, Staal is able to use his size and strength to get it back, ranking 22nd in puck battle wins in the offensive zone and 32nd overall. Again, for a team that thrives on puck possession, having forwards who can win the puck back and extend cycle plays and offensive zone time is never a bad thing.
Staal is in the final year of a two-year contract with an annual average value of $3.25 million. It likely wouldn’t cost much to acquire the pending unrestricted free agent who could prove to be a valuable add as a depth forward and insurance policy in case of injury to current Leafs roster players.
BOSTON – Forget Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens.
For Brad Marchand, right now, it’s all about Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs.
“You see the excitement they have all throughout Canada when they’re in playoffs,” Marchand said Thursday. “Makes it a lot of fun to play them. And I think, just with the history we’ve had with them recently, they’re probably our biggest rival right now over the last decade.
“They’ve probably surpassed Montreal and any other team with kind of where our rivalry’s gone, just because we’ve both been so competitive with each other, and we’ve had a few playoff series. It definitely brings the emotion, the intensity, up in the games and the excitement for the fans.
“It’s a lot of fun to play them.”
The Bruins and Maple Leafs will renew their rivalry in their first round series, which starts Saturday at TD Garden (8 p.m. ET; TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS). They’ll be familiar opponents.
Over the past 11 seasons, the Bruins have faced the Maple Leafs four times in the postseason, starting with the epic 2013 matchup in the first round. That resulted in an all-time instant classic, the Game 7 in which the Bruins were down 4-1 in the third period and came roaring back for an overtime win that helped propel them to the Stanely Cup Final.
That would prove to be the model and, in the intervening years, the Bruins have beaten them in each of the three subsequent series, including going to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference First Round in 2018 and 2019.
Which could easily be where this series is going.
“Offensively they’re a gifted hockey club,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday. “They present a lot of challenges down around the netfront area. We’re going to have to be really sharp there. We’re a pretty good team defensively when we stick to what our principles are. So I expect it to be a tight series overall.”
But if anyone knows the Maple Leafs — and what to expect — it’s Marchand. In his career, he’s played 146 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 11th most of any active player. Twenty-one of those games have come against the Maple Leafs, games in which Marchand has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists).
“They’re always extremely competitive,” Marchand said. “You never know which way the series is going to go. But that’s what you want. That’s what you love about hockey is the competition aspect. They’re real competitors over there, especially the way they’re built right now. So it’s going to be a lot of fun, and that’s what playoffs is about. It’s about the best teams going head-to-head.”
But even though the history favors the Bruins — including having won each of the past six playoff matchups, dating back to the NHL’s expansion era in 1967-68 and each of the four regular-season games in 2023-24 — Marchand is throwing that out the window.
“That means nothing,” he said.
The Maple Leafs bring the No. 2 offense in the NHL into their series, having scored 3.63 goals per game. They were led by Auston Matthews and his 69 goals this season, a new record for him and for the franchise.
“You have to be hard on a guy like that and limit his time and space with the puck,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “He’s really good at getting in position to receive the puck and he’s got linemates who can put it right on his tape for him. You’ve just got to know where he is, especially in our D zone. He likes to loop away after cycling it and kind of find that sweet spot coming down Broadway there in the middle. It’s not just a one-person job.”
Nor is Matthews their only threat.
“They have a lot of great players, skill players, who play hard and can be very dangerous around the net and create scoring opportunities,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “You’ve just got to be aware of who’s out there and who you’re against, who you’re matched up against, and play hard. Also, too, we’ve got to focus on our game and what we do well and when we do that, we trust each other and have that belief in each other, we’re a pretty good hockey team.”
Especially against the Maple Leafs.
Marchand, who grew up in Halifax loving the Maple Leafs, still gets a thrill to see their alumni walking around Scotiabank Arena in the playoffs. And it’s even more special to be on the ice with them, to be competing against them — even more so when the Bruins keep winning.
But that certainly doesn’t mean this series will be easy.
“They’ll be a [heck] of a challenge,” Marchand said.
The chase for Lord Stanley’s silver chalice will begin on Saturday.
After what could be described as the most exciting season in NHL history that saw heartbreaks and last-ditch efforts to clinch playoff spots, players and staff now get ready as 16 teams go to battle.
We saw the Vancouver Canucks have a massive year and finish first in the Pacific Division with captain Quinn Hughes leading all defensemen in points. The Winnipeg Jets set a franchise record for most points. The Nashville Predators went on a franchise-record winning streak in order to lock themselves into a Wild Card spot, and the Washington Capitals clinched the last Wild Card spot in the East after a wild finish that saw the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers see their playoff hopes crumble in front of them.
While Auston Matthews missed out on scoring 70 goals, Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay Lightning standout Nikita Kucherov became the first players since 1990-91 to record 100 assists in a single season. They joined Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr as the only players to do so.
With the bracket set, it’s time to expect the unexpected.
Here is the schedule for Round 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
#A1 Florida Panthers vs. #WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Tampa at Florida | 12:30 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Tampa at Florida | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Thursday, April 25 | 3. Florida at Tampa | 7 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 4. Florida at Tampa | 5 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 29 | 5. Tampa at Florida | TBD |
Wednesday, May 1 | 6. Florida at Tampa | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. Tampa at Florida | TBD |
#A2 Boston Bruins vs. #A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
Date | Game | Time |
Saturday, April 20 | 1. Toronto at Boston | 8 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 22 | 2. Toronto at Boston | 7 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, April 24 | 3. Boston at Toronto | 7 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 4. Boston at Toronto | 8 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. Toronto at Boston | TBD |
Thursday, May 2 | 6. Boston at Toronto | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. Toronto at Boston | TBD |
#M1 New York Rangers vs. #WC2 Washington Capitals
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Washington at New York | 3 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Washington at New York | 7 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 2. New York at Washington | 7 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 2. New York at Washington | 8 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, May 1 | 2. Washington at New York | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 2. New York at Washington | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 2. Washington at New York | TBD |
#M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. #M3 New York Islanders
Date | Game | Time |
Saturday, April 20 | 1. New York at Carolina | 5 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 22 | 2. New York at Carolina | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Thursday, April 25 | 3. Carolina at New York | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 4. Carolina at New York | 2 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. New York at Carolina | TBD |
Thursday, May 2 | 6. Carolina at New York | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. New York at Carolina | TBD |
#C1 Dallas Stars vs. #WC2 Vegas Golden Knights
Date | Game | Time |
Monday, April 22 | 1. Vegas at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, April 24 | 2. Vegas at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 3. Dallas at Vegas | 10:30 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 29 | 4. Dallas at Vegas | TBD |
Wednesday, May 1 | 5. Vegas at Dallas | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 6. Dallas at Vegas | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 7. Vegas at Dallas | TBD |
#C2 Winnipeg Jets vs. #C3 Colorado Avalanche
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Colorado at Winnipeg | 7 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Colorado at Winnipeg | 9:30 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 3. Winnipeg at Colorado | 10 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 4. Winnipeg at Colorado | 2:30 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. Colorado at Winnipeg | TBD |
Thursday, May 2 | 6. Winnipeg at Colorado | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. Colorado at Winnipeg | TBD |
#P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #WC1 Nashville Predators
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Nashville at Vancouver | 10 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Nashville at Vancouver | 10 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 3. Vancouver at Nashville | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 4. Vancouver at Nashville | 5 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. Nashville at Vancouver | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 6. Vancouver at Nashville | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 7. Nashville at Vancouver | TBD |
#P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. #P3 Los Angeles Kings
Date | Game | Time |
Monday, April 22 | 1. Los Angeles at Edmonton | 10 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, April 24 | 2. Los Angeles at Edmonton | 10 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 3. Edmonton at Los Angeles | 10:30 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 4. Edmonton at Los Angeles | 10:30 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, May 1 | 5. Los Angeles at Edmonton | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 6. Edmonton at Los Angeles | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 7. Los Angeles at Edmonton | TBD |
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