CALGARY – From the trade block to the airplane to the fire.
Luke Schenn and Erik Gustafsson met their brand-new Toronto Maple Leafs teammates not even 24 hours ago, but both defencemen will suit up Thursday in Calgary for a critical game against the desperate Flames.
“You look all around the league, everybody’s doing that. These are two veteran guys, guys that have moved around in their career. I’m not worried. We’ve got seven guys today, so we’ll be able to spread the minutes around and look at some different things,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said, a couple hours before puck drop.
That’s right.
The Maple Leafs are going with seven defencemen and just 11 forwards.
Fourth-line wing Zach Aston-Reese and defenceman Timothy Liljegren will be healthy scratches to make room for the new bodies.
“Both guys seem really excited. In both cases, the guys were significant parts of their team and playing big roles. Schenn on the leadership side of it (in Vancouver). Gustafsson was playing big minutes and leading the power-play (in Washington). Both were thriving in their roles but really excited to join our team here and add to our depth,” Keefe said.
“Really high character and good personalities and mesh in well with the group.”
With the Leafs now carrying just 12 forwards and nine defencemen on their roster, Keefe acknowledged Wednesday that he may explore an 11/7 setup.
“I don’t love it, but it’s an option for sure. It’s not Option A, but I wouldn’t rule anything out,” he said.
“Here on forward, we should have lots of legs. Get our best people on the ice more frequently.”
Liljegren was “shaken up a little bit” in Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Oilers but is not injured.
His scratch has more to do with the importance of getting the new Leafs acclimatized and finding the optimal lineup before April’s inevitable Round 1 showdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Such hasty disruptions to the lineup card are necessary with only 21 games to experiment before the Maple Leafs play for keeps.
“I don’t think we can look at this as anything other than a positive,” Keefe said.
“We’ve got to get guys in, get them comfortable and figure out the right mix of guys.”
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