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The Toronto Maple Leafs return to action after a nine-day break against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first of a back-to-back home-and-home with the club with the league’s worst record.
The Leafs have the Tampa Bay Lightning breathing down their neck, who are now within two points of Toronto after earning three of a possible six points this week. The focus of Kyle Dubas with three weeks to go until the NHL Trade Deadline is to improve the club for a likely first-round matchup with the reigning Eastern Conference champions, but the Leafs GM reiterated on Thursday that it is unlikely that he will spend valuable assets like top prospect Matthew Knies or the club’s first-round picks in 2023 or 2024.
“With every single trade discussion that we have, we are at the point with the franchise where you don’t want to necessarily say no to anything,” Dubas said at the Ford Performance Centre. “There are some players and some draft capital that we have that are extremely valuable and would be hard for us to move on from — not just (Knies), but the whole group of prospects and younger players off of our roster.
In regards to rentals, I can’t see that happening. With regards to other options, I don’t think you say no off the hop to anything, but those are very important pieces to us now and in the future.”
Dubas indicated that he is not looking to add in goal, with Matt Murray expected back within two weeks, Ilya Samsonov playing well, and Joseph Woll 13-1-0 with the AHL Marlies, but will explore avenues to improve at forward and on defense before March 3rd.
The Leafs promoted Alex Steeves on Thursday, and have in recent weeks called up Bobby McMann and Joey Anderson. Dubas explained that he wants to explore internal options for bottom-six roles in advance of the deadline before looking to tinker by adding players from outside the organization.
The Leafs GM indicated that his contract status will not be a factor in whether he will take a big swing at the deadline since a desperate move will reflect on him poorly whether he is back with Toronto or vying for another NHL job down the road.
“Anyone who knows me well enough would know that everything I look at is what is best in the short and long run for the organization and the people who are there. As I said at the beginning of the year, it is not about me and my status. It is about what is best for the team. That is what we will continue to look at. I am not treating it any differently than any other day.” Dubas said. “Toronto has been great for my family. More than anything, I love coming in every day and working with the people here. I never take for granted a day working in the league in any role ever.”
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the most recent “32 Thoughts” podcast indicated that the Leafs are likely in on the bidding for Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, and has heard from an NHL source that Toronto at the very least has considered dealing for San Jose winger Timo Meier for a playoff run and worry about a restricted free agent’s $10 million qualifying offer in the summer.
The fact that a deal for Meier would likely have to include both a first and Knies and that the Leafs would have trouble with their cap situation if he accepted the qualifying offer make that potential blockbuster unlikely. Friedman said that in the wake of Dubas’ comments, it is unlikely that Toronto goes down that road.
On Friday’s Jeff Marek Show, Friedman mentioned that the Leafs likely have been sniffing around the St. Louis Blues (who started to dump by trading Vladimir Tarasenko to New York on Thursday) and pending UFA rentals Noel Acciari, Ivan Barbashev, and Ryan O’Reilly.
Ilya Samsonov will get the start coming out of the break and the Leafs will likely turn to rookie Joseph Woll on Saturday in Toronto.
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