Marner misses out on rookie showdown
Matthews, Laine collide with centre injured
TORON TO • Poor Mitch Marner, t he exciting- t owatch Toronto Maple Leafs rookie, was almost an afterthought in all the buzz surrounding the much- anticipated meeting between Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine on Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
But Marner should never be an afterthought. An important part of this team now and going f orward, Marner missed his third consecutive game with a suspected shoulder injury.
The nifty 19- year- old was placed on the retroactive injured reserve list Tuesday morning, meaning the earliest he can return to the lineup is Thursday against the visiting New York Rangers.
Asked when the flashy forward might be back, Leafs head coach Mike Babcock responded during his postskate news conference that Marner was day-to-day.
“So what does that usually mean? Ten days,” Babcock joked as the Leafs prepared to face the Winnipeg Jets. “That’s why they have these doctors and these trainers is because the coach and the player would be playing today. But they don’t let us get involved in the equation and we save ourselves from ourselves.”
If Marner doesn’t return to the lineup against the Rangers, the next potential opportunity would be at home Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Marner, who was second i n team scoring with 48 points ( 15 goals, 33 assists) heading i nto Tuesday’s game, fell awkwardly into the boards during a loss to Columbus last Wednesday.
GOAT HERDING: In conjunction with the Marner move, big centre Frederik Gauthier, whose nickname is The Goat, was recalled from the AHL Marlies.
“Size, meanness, good in the faceoff circle,” Babcock responded when asked what he expected the 6- foot- 5, 215-pound Gauthier to bring to the lineup.
Being good in the circles is something Gauthier, who entered Tuesday night with two goals, an assist and 21 penalty minutes in 18 contests, said he has been working on while with the Marlies.
“I spend a little bit of time after every practice working on faceoffs,” said Gauthier, the 21st overall pick in the 2013 draft.
“I work with all the centres, we try to help each other, get tips on how they take draws. You just want to find as many ways as possible to win faceoffs, so when you’re in there against someone who is doing something different, you can adjust.” ST. PADDY’S: To help celebrate the franchise’s 100th anniversary, the Leafs announced yesterday they will pay tribute to one of the earliest incarnations of the team by wearing St. Pats uniforms on March 18 at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. Prior to being renamed the Maple Leafs by Conn Smythe, the club was known as the St. Pats from 1919 to 1927.