- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: Until he commits to the Red Wings, there is the belief that the Maple Leafs can get Mike Babcock. Brendan Shanahan hasn’t yet given the thumbs up or thumbs down to GM Dave Nonis. Betting line is now at 50-50 if Nonis remains. On what Simmons learned about the Clarkson-Norton trade:
“The Leafs, in a hockey executive meeting, began exploring options on moving Clarkson a few weeks ago. They came up with a plan and began calling some teams. They approached at least two Eastern Conference teams — Ottawa being one of them — with similar type offers to the one they made and in one case, believed they were close to a deal. In both cases, the deals fell through. At about the same time, Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen called and informed the Leafs that Nathan Horton’s contract was uninsured. That led to the deal with Columbus, which was made within two days.”
Someone will trade for Jeff Petry and be disappointed.
There has been a change in Tyler Bozak this year, and not for the better – his play, at practice, off the ice and in the dressing room.
“It’s OK to be first off the ice at practice every day when you have Phil Kessel’s freakish gifts,” a Leafs executive said. “But when you’re second off the ice at practice every day and you don’t have those gifts, what are you doing? Why aren’t you working on your game?”
Simmons writes: “This is among the reasons the Leafs would like to rid themselves of Kessel. He is different and works differently than most NHL stars. If it works for him, so be it and most of the time it has. But when it begins to influence others, negatively — Bozak has also turned into an interview malcontent when once he was a reasonable subject — then the Leafs realize why they must move him in a rebuilding time.”
- Steve Simmons: Maple Leafs management is perplexed by the play of Jonathan Bernier. He doesn’t appear to the goalie they thought they were getting.
- Dave Feschuk: Maple Leafs Joffrey Lupul on packing for road trip over the trade deadline: “I have a big bag.”
- David Pagnotta: Leafs Joffrey Lupul, Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Jake Gardiner and James Reimer are in play. The Leafs are looking for more then just draft picks and prospects – young NHLers.
- Lance Hornby: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis were having a serious looking discussion after the game.