The Maple Leafs have dropped the past two games, both at home, losing to the Buffalo Sabres (5-1 Wednesday) and Vancouver Canucks (6-4 Saturday). The Jackets won 4-3 in overtime Feb. 22 the last time these teams met, which was also in Columbus.
The Blue Jackets were edged 5-4 in a shootout against the Boston Bruins Saturday for a second straight loss. The Jackets have won just once in their last five outings (1-2-2)
The Toronto Maple Leafs are not worried about their goaltending and are more focused on improving at defenseman before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 21, general manager Kyle Dubas said Friday.
Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek have combined to allow 31 goals in the past seven games and have held opponents to fewer than three goals once during that span. Dubas has heard the calls from fans and some in the media that a trade for a goalie should be a priority, especially after the 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, but said he is confident in what Toronto has at the position.
"My take on it is we've got two guys that have been good goaltenders," Dubas said. "Jack was an All-Star this year. Petr Mrazek has played almost 300 games (289) and has been a good goaltender in his career."
Campbell, who is 23-8-4 with a 2.55 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and four shutouts this season, is 0-1-1 in his past three starts. Mrazek, who is 9-5-0 with a 3.22 GAA and .890 save percentage, is 3-3 in his past six games (five starts).
"I think we tend to look at it a little bit game to game in this marketplace," Dubas said. "I'm not concerned about either one of them. They both have shown themselves to be good goalies and they will be."
The more pressing issue is at defenseman with Jake Muzzin dealing with his second concussion in two months. He was placed on long-term injured reserve Feb. 23, so he'll be out at least 10 games and 24 days from then. Muzzin is eligible to return March 17 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Dubas, who said Muzzin is recovering slowly, dismissed the notion that the Maple Leafs purposely could keep him on LTIR until the end of the regular season to free up space under the NHL salary cap for a trade. He said the 33-year-old, who signed a four-year, $22.5 million contract ($5.625 million average annual value) with Toronto on Feb. 24, 2020, will be back in the lineup whenever he's healthy.
"We're going to be cautious and slow," Dubas said. "He's on LTIR, so there's not an imminent return. We have to be really careful with him. It's two concussions in a brief amount of time. But I think, with a style of player like him, if he's healthy and good to go, we'll need him to get back and play before the playoffs."
