MAPLE LEAFS SNAPSHOTS: Trades winds rustle as team takes on Sabres

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The Maple Leafs know they’re likely getting a trade deadline tweak by Friday but, for the Buffalo Sabres, it feels like significant surgery is imminent.

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At least the Sabres had a heated rival to take their minds off the coming roster upheaval with the Toronto game Wednesday and another Thursday in Nashville.

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Forwards Kyle Okposo, Zemgus Girgensons and defenceman Erik Johnson (the latter a healthy scratch recently) are all considered targets of contending teams as the Sabres wallowed 10 points out of a playoff spot before meeting the Leafs.

Around the NHL early Wednesday, Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick went from the Anaheim Ducks to bolster an already-daunting Edmonton lineup, Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa to Florida and defenceman Sean Walker is on his way from Philadelphia to Colorado.

“You can’t think about (trades),” defenceman Rasmus Dahlin said. “We know stuff is going on around the league, but if you focus on that, you can’t play hockey.”

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In the Toronto room, where it’s anticipated general manager Brad Treliving is working on getting some blueline help more than anything, trade deadline countdown buzz was all new for young winger Matthew Knies.

“There’s not a lot talk about it, but playing (Wednesday and again Thursday in Boston) is a good distraction. It’s all out of our control.”

KNIVES OUT FOR LEAFS

Sheldon Keefe stood at the same podium as Red Kelly, Pat Burns, Pat Quinn and any number of coaching predecessors, trying to explain how the Sabres keep slaying the Leafs.

The difference in talent was pretty obvious in the days the French Connection lit up the Leafs, which Ted Darling and Pat Hannigan delighted in describing for viewers in Western New York. Since Buffalo won the first game, 7-2 in 1970, they have owned the all-time series 112-86-18-11 — Buffalo almost doubling its win total at home.

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Comparing its current 13-year playoff drought to Keefe’s third season in the 100-point district means nothing. Keefe himself noted Wednesday morning that Buffalo had scored 15 goals in its two wins over Toronto this season, almost 8% of his team’s total against, including a 9-3 road defeat just before Christmas.

“We go in there and we fill their building with fans,” Keefe wryly noted of packing KeyBank Center twice a year to poke the bear. “There’s a lot of reasons for them to be at their best against us — and lots of reasons for us to be at our best. I don’t think it’s any surprise to get a team’s best when they come to Toronto.”

Toronto’s record is 3-6 this season against teams below it in the Atlantic Division — Buffalo, Ottawa, Montreal and Detroit.

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But Keefe moved the narrative to the Leafs.

“(Wednesday’s game) is less about the motivating. We’re in a much better place (than Dec. 21). But it gets your attention,” Keefe said. “They’re one of the most skilled teams in the league. You don’t defend, you don’t take care of the puck, they make you look bad.

“It’s not just us, it’s teams across the league. When they’re at their best and the game’s going their way, that’s what they do. You have to respect that.”

Dahlin grew up in Sweden, far away from the Peace Bridge, and was a toddler when the Sabres beat Toronto in the Eastern Conference final, their only playoff meeting. But he was in a physical exchange with Auston Matthews in the outdoor game in Hamilton last season and embraced the rivalry with the Sabres’ closest geographical foe.

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“I’ve been in Buffalo six years, I know the history and I take a lot of pride in that for sure.”

BEING SICK SUCKS

The Leafs were trying to put the brakes on another flu outbreak Wednesday morning.

Centre David Kampf was not at practice for a second straight day, with Keefe saying he would be a game-time decision.

“He’s better today (but) it looks like we’re going through this again, it’s catching up to us. We have some others (ailing) as well,” the coach said.

An encouraging sign was defenceman Mark Giordano attending the optional skate after returning to the ice alone Tuesday. He has been out since last week with a concussion, but is on injured reserve.

A STAR IS BORN

Buffalo coach Don Granato had a unique early look at Leafs star and current NHL goal leader Auston Matthews as a young teen when Granato was an instructor with the U.S.  National Development Program.

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“You absolutely saw the potential for (another Rocket Richard Trophy run), the appetite he has,” Granato said. “At age 15, day one when you get all those best kids in the program, the best in the country, head-to-head, you see who rises. And he rose immediately in the days and weeks to separate himself.”

WOLL HOPES FOR CALL

Ilya Samsonov was scheduled to start Wednesday against Buffalo, pointing to Joseph Woll getting the call Thursday at TD Garden. For the Boston College grad, that would be his first NHL start in his second home.

“My first experience up with Toronto was (hanging with the Leafs in the 2019) playoff series with Boston,” Woll recalled. “It was tremendous and they’re a historic rival.”

The St. Louis native spoke of his arm’s length relationship with the Bruins while taking late spring classes in 2019 as his hometown Blues won a seven-game Stanley Cup final, trying to mute his glee.

“(Fellow Missourian) Trent Frederic was playing for Boston, too. It was pretty crazy. Either way it ended, it would be a good result in my mind.”

Woll lost to the Bruins at Scotiabank Arena on Monday, but did see a silver lining in that Frederic didn’t score on him. Woll estimated Frederic had done so at every level so far — high school, college and the AHL.

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