WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Toronto Maple Leafs are officially in survival mode.
They must preserve for the playoffs more than prepare for them at this point.
Top-line winger Michael Bunting limping off the ice Saturday in Florida was a sharp reminder of quickly depth can dwindle. As was star centre John Tavares’s taking an ultra-rare day of rest Sunday in Washington for load management.
“The reality is, you gotta play the games, and injuries happen in our game,” coach Sheldon Keefe said, prior to Toronto’s 4-3 shootout win over the Capitals. Playing their third playoff team in four nights, the Leafs looked gassed for prolonged stretches. The scoreboard was gentler than the opposition.
“You try to do all that you can to keep your players healthy. But you still have to be competitive and play the games.”
“Competitive” was a little hit-and-miss during an uneven 1-1-1 road trip on which the Leafs were outscored 14-6.
Now only two remain, mercifully.
Tuesday’s home date versus lottery-bound Detroit should have all the intensity of an exhibition match, and Friday’s finale against Boston could be either a tone-setter or a no-hitter. We’ll see.
For all the bluster over the Maple Leafs’ roster depth in recent weeks, the bumps and bruises are adding up.
Goal champ Auston Matthews needed a week off to recover from an undisclosed ailment.
Rookie defenceman Timothy Liljegren — breaking out nicely since being paired with Mark Giordano — needed Sunday off to heal some wounds, a decision that necessitated an emergency callup of journeyman left shot D-man Carl Dahlstrom.
Veteran Jake Muzzin travelled on this three-game road trip but was not deemed fit enough to play in a single game. Muzzin is dealing with an undisclosed injury, unrelated to the two concussions he suffered earlier this year, but he hasn’t looked like himself for months now.
Rasmus Sandin (knee) is a smart bet to be recovered for Game 1. Ondrej Kase (concussion) feels like a long shot. And backup goalie Petr Mrazek, out with his third groin injury as a Leaf, is weeks away.
More clarity on Bunting’s injury should come Monday, when the club returns to Toronto and the winger undergoes further testing.
“His spirits are OK,” relays defenceman Justin Holl. “Obviously, he’s frustrated. What he says is, ‘It’s a bad time of year to have something like this happen.’ Which is true — but we don’t really know what the severity is. So, everyone’s fingers are crossed.”
Toronto rested No. 1 goalie Jack Campbell and dressed a lineup Sunday against the hard-hitting Capitals that revealed the limitations to their depth.
But a late rally salvaged a point in regulation, and Alexander Kerfoot’s shootout winner earned Toronto the bonus.
Wayne Simmonds, a healthy scratch not so long ago, was promoted to the third line. Alexander Kerfoot centred the second unit. And rookie Nick Abruzzese was given a crack on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Bunting (and Kase, for that matter) bring some grease and fearlessness to the top nine that will be sorely missed come May.
“It’s a big loss for us,” Keefe said. “[Bunting] is a unique player for our group with his skill-set and his energy and his attitude that he plays with. We’ve grown to really appreciate what he does. He brings a lot to our group.
“We’ve played without different people all throughout the season at different times. The [2-1] stretch we just played without Auston, as an example, where guys stepped up. And more of the same here — guys will take advantage of the opportunities that come their way.”
They better.
Maple Leafs fans understand better than most how key injuries can affect the outcome of a playoff series.
As antsy as they are for games that matter, their main priority is health.
“We’re ready to get going,” Holl says. “We still have a little bit of work to do here at the end of the year, but we’re ready to get into it.”
Fox’s Fast 5
• Speaking of avoiding harm: The Capitals lost 50-goal man Alex Ovechkin to an upper-body injury in the third period.
Ovechkin was tripped up by Leafs goalie Erik Källgren on a breakaway, crashing into the boards with his left shoulder.
After remaining on the ice for a while, the game on his own feet after a few unkind words for the officials. He did not return. No penalty was called.
• The Capitals head into the last week of the regular season with no clue who will be their Game 1 starter. Vanecek has started 38 games with 23 wins and .910 save percentage. Ilya Samsonov has started 37 games with 23 wins and a .897 save percentage.
Neither has a contract for 2022-23 yet.
“We’re going right down to the end here watching the goalies,” coach Peter Laviolette says.
• Ilya Lyubushkin set a new career-high in goals (two). He has scored more in 29 games as a Maple Leaf than he had in 180 games for Arizona (one).
• Rick Tocchet confirmed on Spittin’ Chicklets this week that the Maple Leafs made him a tempting offer in the off-season to be an associate coach. (The Penguins and Bruins also reached out.)
Tough decision, Tocchet said. He chose to spend the season as a TNT analyst but looks to get back in the league as a head coach down the road.
• Matthews is idle at 58 goals and down to two games to hit 60. His current five-game goal “drought” is the longest of his season.
With an assist on Lyubushkin’s strike, Marner increased his point total to 97. One hundred is within grasp.
