Leafs getting a look at defenceman Dermott
Travis Dermott thought it best to wait before getting behind the wheel to rush to his first Toronto Maple Leafs practice.
“I had to take a couple of minutes to make sure the nerves were calm and I was being a safe driver,” said the defenceman, summoned to the NHL club Friday morning after showing up as usual for the AHL Toronto Marlies’ skate at Ricoh Coliseum.
Now the question is when the Newmarket, Ont., native will make his debut. His call-up suggests the club is getting serious about its second-half run. Dermott is considered the Leafs’ best prospect on defence and it was expected the second-round pick from 2015 would be evaluated with the big club before making any blue-line move before the Feb. 26 trade deadline.
A foot injury to Nikita Zaitsev, consistency issues with Connor Carrick, the limitations of big Roman Polak and glaring mistakes by Martin Marincin led to Friday’s call ahead of today’s home game against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Leafs have four dates to go on this homestand, separated at the end by five days off, which gives ample time to immerse Dermott in system drills and games. Zaitsev is not expected back before then. Marincin was returned to the Marlies Friday.
“The last time we were making a lineup decision (Marincin for Zaitsev before Christmas), he’d been injured and didn’t get in the mix that way,” head coach Mike Babcock said. “But we’ve known for a long time that he’s working in the right direction and had a really good summer.
“You don’t want to get him here before he’s ready, but if he can help, we’ll find a way to get him in.