Zaitsev injury ruffles Leafs
Carrick, Marincin called on to fill void
A Toronto Maple Leafs team labouring under three straight losses, the absence of their leading scorer, a dry spell of others that includes two young stars, surely didn’t need the extra burden of injury to a workhorse defenceman.
Nikita Zaitsev, who leads Toronto with 22: 51 minutes of ice per game and splits the majority of blue-line penaltykilling time with Ron Hainsey, is gone for at least two weeks with a lower body injury, possibly from a shot block Friday night in Detroit.
“You can ask me how he’s doing in two weeks and we’ll go from there,” head coach Mike Babcock said at Sunday’s practice. “The way I look at it, it creates an opportunity for ( Connor) Carrick, who has been waiting all year. The ball’s in his court and we get to watch him.”
Carrick, whose last of 17 games was back on Nov. 24, will likely take Zaitsev’s spot with Jake Gardiner. Zaitsev was credited with 94 blocks in 34 games, ranking him second in the National Hockey League to Kris Russell of Edmonton, but it’s his all-around game that’s made him so valuable to the Leafs the past couple of years, right from when he stepped from the KHL into big minutes in the starting lineup.
The Leafs will also have to find a new PK partner for Hainsey. The Leafs have called up Martin Marincin from the AHL Marlies, but it will be Carrick as Zaitsev’s 5-on-5 replacement and likely Roman Polak seeing more special teams work. Marincin would be insurance in case of other injuries on defence.
Babcock said he would let assistant coach D. J. Smith have a say in who will get Zaitsev’s minutes. “The good thing when you’re running the back end like D. J. does, he watches the game, he gets a feel, he puts in people accordingly,” Babcock said.
Marincin once made it easy for Babcock and general manager Lou Lamoriello to decide on their last training camp cuts. But where the Marlies have inherited some disgruntled veteran Leafs, Marincin played 18 games and tried to make himself a useful part of the powerful affiliate club, such as being one its most reliable penalty killers.
“I’m excited to be back on the big club,” Marincin said. “It’s a great team, a pretty good group of younger and older guys.
Carrick, one of the most studious Leafs you’ll meet and one determined to make the most of his chance as well. The Leafs play Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday afternoon, then it’s off to Columbus for a Wednesday night tilt, a day off then the Rangers in New York.
“Zee is a big part of this club. It’s my job to step in,” Carrick said. “After a couple of practices at home, we should be gunned up and energetic.