Is the end nearing for Wayne Simmonds?
James Mirtle: The 33-year old Wayne Simmonds has a lot of miles on his body. He’s been a healthy scratch six times this season and four in the past seven Toronto Maple Leafs games. He has only two assists in his past 27 games and his TOI is 8:49 in those games.
He’s being passed on the depth charts by younger guys. Is his time with the Maple Leafs nearing an end? The Leafs younger players could knock some other vets off the fourth line for their playoff run.
Simmonds is also under contract for next season at $900,000. The Leafs don’t have a lot of salary cap flexibility but haven’t put him on waivers yet. Will he be able to turn things or will be replaced?
On Jets Scheifele, Dubois, Lowry and idea of Klingberg
Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet: (mailbag) Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele had an inconsistent start to the season but since the All-Star break, he’s found his game and the Jets have climbed back into the playoff race. How the Jets and Scheifele finish the season could determine what type of changes they will make this offseason.
Pending RFA forward Pierre-Luc Dubois needs to have a long-term extension in place before the Jets look at making any blockbuster deals this offseason.
Don’t see forward Adam Lowry getting traded this offseason. His play during the second half of the season shows why they extended him for five years. The Jets have had trouble with their secondary scoring and Lowry provides that, to go along with his penalty killing and leadership.
Though he’d help their power play and the right side of their defense, don’t see pending UFA John Klingberg as a fit given his want for a long-term, big contract.
Any remaining money the Jets have after they extend Dubois should be used for a middle-six forward.
The Jets are at home against the Kings and are
-125 on the moneyline with Betway
