Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas stressed in his Monday video chat that one of his off-season priorities is to ensure his team is “harder to play against” in the upcoming season.
The NHL is in full rumour mode, with the draft and free agency opening this week, and the Leafs have been linked to Scarborough’s Wayne Simmonds, a 32-year-old veteran whose career has been built in part on being tough to play against.
Simmonds is coming off a season he started with the Devils on a one-year, $5-million (U.S.) deal before he was traded to the Sabres. He appeared in 68 games between the two teams, with 25 points, 145 hits, and 66 penalty minutes.
Simmonds is said to be interested in remaining in Buffalo, but the Sabres have given him permission to test the open market. The Leafs appear to be interested, but that interest would come at a much lower price.
Simmonds finished last season at minus-21, which is concerning. But he also scored 88 goals over his final four years with the Flyers, ending in 2018-19.
He would be a solid fit with the Leafs, adding more veteran presence that the club began to address with a one-year contract extension to Jason Spezza on Monday.
Montreal is also said to be interested in Simmonds.
- Domi traded to Jackets: Max Domi, whose future with the Canadiens was the subject of speculation the past 18 months, was dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Josh Anderson on Tuesday.
Domi, after a breakout year in 2018-19 in which he had 28 goals and 44 assists, managed 17 goals and 27 assists this season. Anderson similarly had a breakout year in 2018-19 (27 goals, 20 assists) but dropped off to a lone goal and three assists this season before a season-ending shoulder injury.
Both players are arbitration-eligible restricted free agents this off-season.
Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement that Domi will help the club at the middle: “Strengthening our centre-ice position has been a priority for our club … (Domi) is a skilled playmaker that also brings grit and competitiveness.”
- Deadline for deal: Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s agent has told both the Bruins and Canucks they have until the opening of free agency Friday to make a deal for the 29-year-old Coyotes defenceman.
Ekman-Larsson has mentioned both teams as destinations he is willing to go to in a trade out of Arizona. He will remain in Arizona if a trade cannot be worked out by his Friday deadline.
- Grounded Wing: Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman was participating virtually in the draft, separate from his staff, due to a COVID-19 scare.
The club said in a statement that Yzerman “was exposed recently to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. Yzerman has received multiple negative tests results and is experiencing no symptoms. Out of an abundance of caution, however, he will join the Red Wings hockey operations staff virtually for the entirely of the 2020 NHL draft …”
The Wings selected Swedish forward Lucas Raymond with their first pick, fourth overall.
- New Year’s baby: The NHL and the NHLPA announced Monday evening that they will target Jan. 1 as the startup date for the 2020-21 season.
“Based upon what we have learned and what we know and what we still don’t know, I can say that we are now focused on a Jan. 1 start,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said.
Both sides said a target date for the opening of training camps will be made at a later date.
- Black history: Shortly after being selected second overall by the L.A. Kings, Quinton Byfield received congratulations from San Jose star Evander Kane, who tweeted “congratulations to #byfield55 on his second overall selection, and for becoming the highest drafted Black player in history …”
When asked about his potential impact on youth, Byfield said “that’s something that is super positive.”
- The third pick for 500, Alex: The Ottawa Senators, by all accounts, produced fantastic returns on their third and fifth overall picks. The Senators claimed Tim Stuetzle, rated second in many pre-draft analyses, with the third pick, while adding defenceman Jake Sanderson, with the fifth pick. “We are elated at getting who we think is the best defenceman in the draft,” Senators GM Pierre Dorion said.
The Senators had University of Ottawa grad and Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek announce Stutzle’s selection, one of the highlights of the first round.
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- Remembering No. 10: The Winnipeg Jets invited Dale Hawerchuk’s widow, Crystal, to announce Cole Perfetti as the 10th overall pick. “He always loved Winnipeg,” Crystal Hawerchuk said of her husband, who passed away last month.
- Pipes dream: The Predators were lauded for claiming goalie Jaroslav Askarov with the 11th overall pick. Many have compared him to Carey Price, and consider him the best goalie in the draft since Price in 2005 and Martin Brodeur in 1990.
Askarov uses his right hand for his glove hand, a rarity in the NHL. Of 89 goalies who appeared in an NHL game this past season, only six were right-handed gloves.
