MAPLE LEAFS NOTES: GM Treliving has to add more to blue line this week

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Let’s not get too carried away with the Maple Leafs’ acquisition of defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin.

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He’s a depth piece on the blue line, and though his physicality and the fact he shoots right are welcomed, the 29-year-old doesn’t exactly tip the scales for the Leafs into becoming bona fide Stanley Cup contenders.

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If the Leafs are going to go deep into the playoffs — and if they get the Florida Panthers in the first round, good luck — it’s going to be their top players who are the head of that drive, not the depth guys. That would seem obvious.

General manager Brad Treliving doesn’t have much time to add now, not that any of his colleagues across the National Hockey League do, with the trade deadline coming this Friday at 3 p.m. EST.

Adding another defenceman should be at the top of Treliving’s list. As he said when he met with media this past Friday, a team can never have too many D-men, especially when the Leafs have had the kind of injuries they have experienced on the blue line in 2023-24.

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When push comes to shove, we’ll be curious to see whether Treliving parts with the Leafs’ first-round pick.

Lyubushkin, no longer having to play for the lowly Anaheim Ducks, was thrilled to be back with the Leafs after he skated in 38 games (including playoffs) for Toronto two seasons ago. He arrived late on Friday night, got approximately six hours of sleep and was on the ice for the optional morning skate on Saturday, wearing No. 46, as he did in his previous Leafs stint.

“Super-excited,” Lyubushkin said. “It’s easy to join this team for me because I know this organization, I know the guys, my teammates. It’s unbelievable.

“Not surprised (that he was traded). I was ready for this.”

It’s the first time Lyubushkin is playing on the same team with close friend, Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov.

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REAVES RAVING

There was a time — most of January — that the immediate hockey future didn’t look good for Leafs winger Ryan Reaves.

He was ready to get back in the lineup after suffering from a knee injury, but didn’t get a look until the Leafs played in Winnipeg on Jan. 27. Reaves scored a goal in Toronto’s last game before the all-star break, and he has been contributing in various ways from the fourth line since, playing in 12 of the past 14 games, including Saturday.

Bottom line is that Reaves was gaining the trust of the coaching staff, something that wasn’t happening as quickly during the first couple of months of the regular season.

What has been the difference in Reaves’ game?

“His skating and his work,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “His feet are constantly moving. He’s a big strong man, and it’s really hard to contain him.

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“His rate of speed in which he can make a defensive play and then help keep his line on offence, the way he can forecheck and blend that with backchecking in killing plays in the neutral zone, all that stuff has gone way up,” Keefe said. “Some of that is probably a conditioning piece. He skated a lot. When he was out of the lineup, he worked a lot with our development people and he’s focused on himself and his game. And part of it is mindset too. He doesn’t want to come out of the lineup.”

As for Reaves’ desire and willingness to drop the gloves, Keefe indicated that if fighting was all Reaves was doing, he would probably not be playing.

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“A lot of (fighting) is sideshow stuff that really doesn’t have as much impact on the game as we think,” Keefe said. “It’s more about the play on the ice.

“Reavo has played some terrific hockey and the opposition has had a really hard time handling him, with his skating and playing the way that he is. The chemistry he is developing with (Pontus) Holmberg and (David) Kampf, that’s more of what it’s about, is how you can impact the game. The physicality and the fighting is one thing. But when those players can play and impact the game, now you’ve really got something.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Winger Bobby McMann tried to throw a compliment toward Lyubushkin on Saturday morning when the two met. On Jan. 3 in Anaheim in a game between the Leafs and Ducks, they fought each other. “I told him he was a good fighter,” McMann said. “He’s like, ‘No, no.’ I said ‘Yeah, you’re pretty strong. You know how to do it.’ He was modest. We’re happy to have him on this side.” … Rangers rookie forward Matt Rempe was sporting a pair of shiners after fighting three times in his first six NHL games. The 6-foot-8, 241-pound Rempe has caught the eye of the league, to say the least. “(The last couple of weeks) have been unbelievable,” Rempe, a native of Calgary, said. “Very eventful. Every time I throw on a Rangers sweater, it’s a dream come true. Got a goal, had some fights, it has been awesome.” … Kyle Clifford and Joseph Blandisi scored in the Marlies’ 4-2 loss against the visiting Syracuse Crunch on Saturday. Goalie Luke Cavallin made 16 saves for Toronto.

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