You have to be quite happy with the Leafs' play of late. There is still the worrisome play in the defensive zone. We still need that fourth or fifth dman that I have been barking about for the last little while.
The game in Colorado had some positives. The Leafs never quit. Every time the Avs scored, the Leafs scored. The secondary scoring came through for the Leafs with Martin and Polak each getting a goal. So we got a dose on Pickard's debut in Colorado. Pickard was not bad, and the Leafs might very well put him on showcase for the teams who are shopping for a backup goalie. Or in the Islanders situation, any goalie.
The Leafs showed heart in the contest. They still have a problem with defensive zone coverage. On the bright side, the Leafs are searching long and hard for another veteran defencemen. We do have Bozak, Marner, and JVR for bait, all of whom have been rumoured to be available. They continue to tell teams that Kadri is not.
The price of defencemen is going right now is JVR plus. At this moment, the Leafs are not willing to go that high. Yes, Marner is there, but the Leafs really want a quality dman in return. They would prefer JVR or Bozak as part of the package. Overall, things are going quite well, but the Leafs have to keep an eye on the surging Bruins, they cannot let up. Curtis McElhinney continues to be on the sidelines with an upper-body injury, so the Leafs will get a look at Pickard.
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