Saturday may have been the worst game for the Toronto Maple Leafs this
season.
Not only were they shutout in Vancouver, but they lost Dave Bolland to injury.
With Tyler Bozak already out of the lineup, the Leafs are missing their
top 2 centres for a while.
The 27 year-old Bolland is out indefinitely after successful surgery to
repair a severed tendon on the outside of his left ankle.
Just how long Bolland will be out of the Leafs lineup is anybody’s guess.
The Leafs confirmed Monday that Tyler Bozak out of the lineup until at
least November 19th with a hamstring injury. The team leader in ice-time among
forwards suffered the injury in late October in a loss to Columbus.
“He’s still a ways away,” said Carlyle. He added that Bozak is not even
at the point where he is working out or riding the bike.
“When you lose players like Bozak and Bolland it puts a strain on everybody else and puts a strain on the rest of the guys to make up some of the minutes those two those play and it gives an another opportunity to other players to play higher in your lineup,” noted Carlyle.
One player who will be asked to help carry the load and - switch
positions - is James van Riemsdyk, who on Monday was centering the Leafs
top line at practice between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul.
“It’s a little bit different,” admitted van Riemsdyk. “You are used to playing a certain position
you naturally know where to go. Maybe you have to think about it a little bit
more. It’s a lot about timing, being at the tight spot at the right time.”
“You don’t make it to the NHL by just knowing how to do one thing,” said
Lupul. “There will be more expected of him defensively than playing on the wing
but if he applies himself and works hard like I know he’s going to he will be
fine.”
Carlyle discussed moving the 6 foot 3 Van Riemsdyk to centre prior to
the lock-out shortened season, before the idea was dropped.
He points to the success Pittsburgh and Boston have had, due in large
part to the strength up the middle. Like most coaches Carlyle likes the idea of
having size at centre.
“You look at the big programs and the big hockey clubs and teams that
have had a fair amount of success over the last while, you can always point to
their centre ice position as being a solid position for them,” said Carlyle.
Van Riemsdyk has played centre before. But the last time he played that
position 4 years ago at the university of New Hampshire.
“Doesn’t take a rocket science to go in that direction,” said Caarlyle
when asked why van Riemsdyk was a logical choice at centre. “When a player have
previously played that - obviously not in the pro level but in the
college level - we think he’s more of the fit right now.”
“(I’m) playing against little bit better players now than then, so we
will see,” said van Riemsdyk.
While the Leafs don’t play again until Friday, JVR
will have some time to get used to playing centre.
You can also bet with their top 2 centres out for a
while, look for the team to explore trade possibilities to upgrade at centre.
Problem is: Who is available and at what price?
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