Leafs Get Permission To Talk To Mehta

The Toronto Maple Leafs embarked on the final week of the regular season with a dreadful performance against the Washington Capitals, managing just 22 shots in a 4-0 loss. The story of the contest was more about additions to the Leafs already well-stocked injury list, as veteran goalie Anthony Stolarz, defenseman Brandon Carlo, and forward Dakota Joshua all left the game. 

Stolarz, who missed nearly two months with a mysterious upper-body injury, was noticeably in pain after stretching out his left pad to make a save early in the first period. Carlo, who missed a long stretch with a foot injury, suffered a lower-body injury, and Joshua, who missed two months with a lacerated kidney, left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Joseph Woll allowed three goals on 17 shots in relief, and head coach Craig Berube indicated after the game that youngster Artur Akhtyamov has been recalled and will make the start at UBS Arena against the New York Islanders on Thursday, instead of Dennis Hildeby, who had played on Wednesday in the AHL Marlies playoff-clinching win over Utica.   

Other roster moves in advance of the second of back-to-back games with the injuries include the recall of forward Luke Haymes and defenseman William Villeneuve from the Marlies, and the demotion of center Benoit-Olivier Groulx. Berube indicated that Haymes will get his first NHL start against the Isles, in the debut of new head coach Peter DeBoer. 

GM Search

In news of the search for a new GM, the Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Leafs and New Jersey Devils have been given permission to speak to Florida Assistant GM Sunny Mehta. LeBrun indicated that Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson has also drawn interest, but that seems to be more connected to the Nashville Predators GM search, and not as of yet to the Leafs.    

Another potential option for Toronto may have opened up with the news that the Seattle Kraken and Team President Ron Francis are going their separate ways. Francis was the Kraken’s first GM and spent six seasons in that role before moving up to Team President and giving the reins to former Sabres GM Jason Botterill. He also spent a lengthy tenure as GM in Carolina, drafting some of the Hurricanes’ current core group.