Leafs add grit, depth in deal for Jackets' Nash
The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded for the kind of playoff grit that defeated them in two recent springs — and also gave themselves some cap space for a possible larger deal by Monday's NHL deadline.
In a Friday deal, they acquired forward Riley Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a seventh-round pick in 2022. The 31-year-old Nash, who sprained his knee a few days ago and is out four to six weeks, will see the balance of his US$2.75 million cap hit filed to long-term injured reserve, money that can be used by the Leafs to go after bigger fish.
If Nash returns to action when expected — around the time the Leafs start the first round of playoffs after May 10 — and he plays in one-quarter of their total post-season games, the draft pick becomes a sixth-rounder.
The Leafs have twice lost to Nash's teams — the 2018 Boston Bruins and 2020 Blue Jackets.
Nash was a first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers but opted for Cornell University, and then played five years for Carolina before his time in Boston and Columbus.
NYLANDER OUT A WEEK
The Leafs' offence will have to find if there's a way without a Will until next week.
William Nylander has so far tested negative for COVID-19 three times since reporting he was exposed to a possible positive case before Wednesday's win over Montreal.
Coach Sheldon Keefe said after Friday's practice that a seven-day minimum isolation from the team was still required as part of league and public safety protocols.
Unlike in Vancouver, where one player contracted the virus and it spread quickly to put the team in lockdown, the Leafs seem to have taken the right precautions with Nylander.
The Leafs play Ottawa on Saturday and in Montreal on Monday, with Nylander potentially returning Thursday against the Jets.
JUST DIAL KYLE
GM Kyle Dubas never left his office to watch practice on Friday afternoon. Through his observation window above the main pad, he was seen constantly pacing, and was never off his cellphone.
It's possible the Nash deal or adding a depth defenceman might be his only moves.
If Galchenyuk is the real deal and Nick Robertson plays his way up, Dubas might put off his search for a more accomplished forward.
The Blues' Mike Hoffman is suddenly garnering interest around the league, and with the Flyers out of a playoff spot right now, they could make six-footone winger Scott Laughton available.
On defence, the high end features pending unrestricted free agent David Savard in Columbus and Anaheim's Josh Manson.
LINES THEY ARE A CHANGIN'
Friday's practice was focused on special teams, which like everything else now has an altered appearance because of Nylander's absence.
When it came to 5-on-5 drills, John Tavares found himself between Ilya Mikheyev in Nylander's spot, with Zach Hyman moving away from the first line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to play on Tavares' left flank.
Galchenyuk checked into Hyman's spot.
“I wanted to take a chance to look at different things,” Keefe said. “Not having Nylander breaks up a line we have liked, so this a chance to look at Galchenyuk.”
Though he has just four points in the past 10 games, the Leafs like Galchenyuk's work on the forecheck.
Alex Barabanov, called up when Nylander went into isolation, will play with Pierre Engvall and Wayne Simmonds, with the fourth line consisting of Joe Thornton, Alexander Kerfoot and Jason Spezza.
The malfunctioning power play, which has slipped to 10th in the league with a 23.5 per cent success rate, now has digging winger Hyman as its net-front presence with Matthews, Tavares, Marner and Morgan Rielly on defence.
LOOSE LEAFS
Injured goalie Frederik Andersen was the other no-show for the Leafs at practice. He's now been off the ice for three weeks. Jack Campbell looks to be in position on Saturday to try to break Carey Price's league record for most wins (11) to start a season.