Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs, Guhle, Johansson, Fleury
12/04/2024 03:05
An early playoff exit would likely result in wide-sweeping coaching and front-office changes for the Maple Leafs, James Mirtle of The Athletic said on “The Leaf Report” Thursday. “If there’s another really disappointing first-round exit, they’re gonna want blood. And I don’t know if just firing the coach is enough. I think they’re gonna want more than that,” said Mirtle.
The appetite for playoff success in Toronto is at an all-time high. The team has played some of its best hockey down the stretch and won a playoff series in 2023 for the first time in 19 years. That first-round win over the Lightning was their first after a remarkable six straight first-round/qualifying-round losses, although they were quickly dispatched by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Panthers in five games in the second round.
A first-round exit in a likely rematch against the Panthers would likely result in the dismissal of head coach Sheldon Keefe, one of the longest-tenured bench bosses in the league now entering his fifth playoff run with the club. In terms of other executives that could get the axe, team president Brendan Shanahan has only one season left on his contract, according to Mirtle, and could be a candidate to be out of a job with new leadership in the Maple Leafs’ ownership group, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. After GM Brad Treliving was brought in only one summer ago, it seems unlikely he’d be relieved of his duties with such a small track record in the role for Toronto.
Other tidbits from the Atlantic Division:
- Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle remains out tonight against the Islanders, Patrick Friolet of RDS said. The young defenseman skated this morning as he rehabs an upper-body injury but is sitting out of his fourth straight contest. Guhle, 22, sustained the injury minutes into a clash with the Lightning one week ago and hasn’t played since. He’s now missed five of Montreal’s last seven games, also missing a March 30 contest against the Hurricanes while serving a one-game suspension for slashing Flyers winger Travis Konecny from the Habs bench. The sophomore blue-liner remains in a top-four role, averaging nearly 21 minutes per game. He’s amassed 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 70 games, a lower points per game pace than last year, but has logged improved possession metrics with a 44.4 CF% and 45.9 xGF% at even strength.
- Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson and defenseman Haydn Fleury still aren’t skating with the team and continue to be sidelined tonight against the Senators, per Chris Krenn of the team’s official site. Johansson hasn’t dressed in six straight due to a lower-body injury sustained outside of game action. He’s played sparingly behind starter Andrei Vasilevskiy after occupying the crease to begin the season with Vasy on the shelf, only making four starts since the beginning of February. The 28-year-old has made a career-high 24 starts and two relief appearances but has struggled despite his 12-7-5 record, logging a .890 SV% and 3.37 GAA while conceding 10.5 goals above average. Minor league call-up Matt Tomkins remains on the roster in his absence. Fleury, 27, hasn’t played since sustaining an undisclosed injury in a collision with referee Steve Kozari against the Penguins last Saturday that sent Kozari to the hospital. He’s logged 24 appearances for Tampa this season in a depth role, scoring five points with a +5 rating. With neither player on the ice for practice yet, they’re approaching doubtful territory for Game 1 of the playoffs.
