Maple Leafs snap skid but big questions still hang over team

Contents of the article

After the break on Wednesday, the Maple Leafs caught their breath.

Contents of the article

They are relieved avoid a five-game losing streak – by an eighth of an inch of John Tavares' skate blade in overtime – but still with a 10.5% chance of the playoffs, according to Moneypuck.com.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

The extra day of practice/skill development didn't shy away from questions before Thursday's home game against Columbus ahead of a six-game road trip:

Q: What's the latest on all the injuries?

After the Leafs brought in Jacob Quillan and Sammy Blais up front, Dakota Mermis on defense and Troy Stecher making his debut, the only likely player to return from the medical list on Thursday will be center Scott Laughton (upper body).

Head coach Craig Berube considers Chris Tanev (upper body) to be “out” and doesn't have any information on fellow blueliner Brandon Carlo (lower body).

Auston Matthews (bottom) is skating, but is progressing slowly, with no signs Wednesday of his teammate Matthew Nice (Late scratch on Tuesday due to lower body injury.) and center Nick Roy (above).

Goalie Anthony Stolarz is on IR (top), leaving the cage to Joseph Wall and Dennis Hildeby for now.

Toronto avoided another injury after Blais coughed up blood during Tuesday's game.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

“It was just a bad shot to the chest,” said Blais, who took part in Wednesday's practice. “It felt like mucus down there, then I saw it was red. But they ran some tests and I was fine.”

Q: How scared are the Leafs about missing the playoffs?

As they cleared the NHL quarter-pole on Tuesday, their 9-9-2 record sits two points out of the Atlantic Division basement, five out of first place and in the soft middle of the seven Eastern Conference teams currently within a couple of points of a wild card spot.

Bobby McMann was among those who said now is not the time to worry about the out-of-town scoreboard until the Leafs tighten up their defense. Tavares was concerned but reminded that there was “a lot of runway, a lot of hockey” to be played.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

Winger Dakota Joshuawho admits he can score more than five points in 20 games at minus-6 sees the playoff glass as half full. This has a lot to do with the fact that no one team is dominant, at least not in the East.

“That's the positive side: he's really tight and you can get him,” Joshua said. “You start running here and after a couple of weeks it’s a completely different story.

“Everyone in this room has struggled at some point in their career. There are glimmers or bursts of good hockey, so we know we can do it. The belief is there.”

Q: How do the newest Leafs fit into their patchwork roles?

Stecher was thrilled to play his first game in blue and white, wearing a fireman's helmet of sorts. In 13:31 of ice time, he cleaned up the breakout and coverage and earned a penalty on his first shift from Blues' Pavel Buchnevich while still moving his feet.

Contents of the article

“They said I dove,” Stecher protested against the Blues' insinuation, insisting he had earned the challenge the hard way.

Quillan retired after his January NHL baptism was interrupted by a knee from Ottawa's Nick Cousins. Quillan played a supporting role in Jake McCabe's goal to make the score 1–1, allowed four hits, but gave up all five draws.

Considering Toronto has the second-highest faceoff percentage in the NHL (55.7%), it's a craft the Marlies draftee knows he needs to reach NHL speed.

“That's why I worked on draws with Lawton today,” Quillan said.

Q: How is Tavares, 35, handling his reduced role?

On Tuesday, he posted a season-high 23:43 with overtime, did some fancy footwork in a 3-on-1 board battle to set up William Nylander's winner, and engaged in two lengthy bouts with the media on consecutive days. Shades of his previous incarnation as captain of the oft-defeated Islanders.

Bérubé says staff are looking for ways to lighten Tavares' workload, although not having so many centers makes that difficult.

“Sometimes you have to compete when you’re tired,” the coach said. “That’s what you try to get through in the offseason (Tavares’ legendary training regimen).

“The schedule was compressed right away, so you have to understand the importance of the breaks between games (for him, the non-game session on Wednesday).”

[email protected]

X: @sunhornby

Contents of the article