EDMONTON – Leon Draisaitl is just like the rest of the hockey world.
Kyle Dubas has grabbed his attention.
“It seems like Toronto has a whole new team coming in here,” the Edmonton Oilers superstar smiled Wednesday, in response to a general question about the flurry of NHL trade activity.
For all the roster turnover and identity tweaking and grit enhancing Dubas has engaged in over the past 12 days, the general manager of the Maple Leafs might not be content with the five headline-snatching trades he’s made already.
There are hints that the painting isn’t dry yet.
Despite being requested to speak following Tuesday’s acquisitions of Erik Gustafsson, Luke Schenn, and a first-round pick, Dubas chose his phone over others’ microphones. He has bypassed the Alberta leg of Toronto's road trip and gone directly from Seattle to set up a trade deadline war room in Vancouver.
Then there was this comment Wednesday by head coach Sheldon Keefe on structuring his forward lines: “We’ll get through the trade deadline and see what the final group looks like.”
And this one by William Nylander on Dubas, with a chuckle: “He’s doing a lot of good work. I mean, he hasn’t had any days off. Probably busy the next couple days too.”
Nothing feels quite final, does it?
With the ousting of Pierre Engvall, the Maple Leafs are travelling with the bare minimum of 12 forwards. They’re currently carrying nine NHL-calibre defencemen, which means scratching three useful bodies when everyone is healthy.
Imagine that: Too many solid D-men in Toronto.
Keefe isn’t exactly leaping at the chance to go with a 7/11 lineup, either.
“I don’t love it, but it’s an option for sure. It’s not Option A, but I wouldn’t rule anything out,” said Keefe, who views an excess of D-men as a good problem. “We have lots of competition, lots of support for the group if there are injuries or whatever the case might be. Lots of options for me.”
Dubas has options as well.
He can use his remaining salary cap space to simply activate goaltender Matt Murray, still on long-term injured reserve. He can eventually sign Matthew Knies and see if the blue-chip prospect can make the giant step from the NCAA to an all-in postseason.
Or the GM can continue the most aggressive and creative roster surgery of his tenure. He does have another 2023 first-round pick (Boston’s, via Washington) and some defensive depth to dangle for yet another forward or some proven goaltending support for Ilya Samsonov.
How this all shakes out before Friday’s deadline is unknown, but the one certainty is that Dubas is still grinding and exploring.
Or, as Draisaitl puts it: “It’s always exciting when Toronto comes to town.”
Exit Sandman
Rasmus Sandin, dealt mid-practice to Washington Tuesday, was walked out of the Seattle Kraken’s training facility by dear friend and frequent roommate William Nylander.
“Sad to see him go, but he’s got a bright future,” Nylander said. “We’re going to miss him here.”
Sandin, 22, joins the newly extended Nick Jensen and fixture John Carlson as the only Capitals defencemen signed in 2023-24. Sandin is the only lefty.
He’ll have a greater opportunity to develop and more ice time available in D.C.
“He's played a lot of hockey for us, played a lot of good hockey for us. I think it's just a situation where we've added guys. He was going to be on the outside again this season,” Keefe says of the trade. “A young player that wants to play and has value in the league.
“Obviously, Kyle was able to get a first-round pick and we also bring in a player (Erik Gustafsson) that I think has a very similar skillset but is farther along in his path, is more experienced in the playoffs, and all those kinds of things. So, it's just the nature of where we’re at.”
As bittersweet as the deal is, Nylander understands. And he’s also friendly with Gustafsson from their national team days.
“We lose two but gain one,” he says of the Maple Leafs’ Swedish dinner table.
“This is what it comes down to. It’s playoffs, and we’ve got to get past that first round. I think that’s where everyone’s mind is at.”
One-Timers: Schenn will join the Maple Leafs this evening to watch the game, while Gustafsson is scheduled to meet his new club Thursday in Calgary…. Neither coach Jay Woodcroft nor Jack Campbell would reveal the Oilers’ starting goalie. “Can’t wait to battle some buddies,” Campbell allowed…. With Pierre Engvall traded, Alexander Kerfoot earns a promotion to the third line and Zach Aston-Reese pops back onto the fourth line.
Maple Leafs projected lines Wednesday vs. Edmonton Oilers
Bunting — Matthews — Marner
Tavares — O’Reilly — Nylander
Kerfoot — Kämpf — Järnkrok
Aston-Reese — Acciari — Lafferty
Rielly — Holl
McCabe — Brodie
Giordano — Liljegren
Samsonov starts
Woll
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