On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun: The defense remains the Toronto Maple Leafs biggest area of concern.
Morgan Rielly is obviously not 100 percent after returning from a high ankle sprain.
Their recent struggles will only increase trade talk involving a veteran defenseman, especially if they are in a playoff position at the deadline.
On the New York Islanders …
Brian Compton of NHL.com: The Toronto Maple Leafs were in New York last night, so of course John Tavares is asked about his future. Tavares will be a free agent after next season, but his able to start contract talks with the New York Islanders after July 1st.
“They’re just questions,” Tavares said Monday, hours before the Islanders play the Maple Leafs at Barclays Center. “I come to the rink like today, we’re preparing to play the Leafs and, like I said, they’re a team that’s ahead of us, we’re trying to catch them. That’s where I try to put my energy. Like I said, I think all the contract stuff, I just try to take care of it when it gets there.”
Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun: Tavares on being asked about his future.
“I can understand and respect why the questions are being asked. It’s something to talk about, it’s something that’s coming up in the future. But for myself, I just try to worry about playing.”
Arthur Staple of Newsday: The Islanders will be in Toronto next week, so Tavares knows there will be more questions coming his way.
“It is what it is. Some days for sure you just want to focus on playing — that’s all you can control,” Tavares said. “A lot of stuff that’s going on, people saying or writing their opinion, you know how you feel about the situation and what’s going on. When the opportunity gets there and the time comes for that process to take place, that’s when I’ll start focusing on getting that done.
“Some of that media you don’t see very often, so perhaps they’re waiting to ask you something. And obviously up in Canada and Toronto, there’s always those connections. It’s a talking point. Stam kos just went through a similar thing and people want to relate it to that because that just happened last year. So it is what it is.”