After two losses in a row, it was time for a trade
Good Morning!
The Leafs play the Lightning tonight and will look to break their two game losing streak. After a whole month without losing in regulation, apparently two losses was enough for Dubas to make some changes. I was a good run, Geno Malgin!
Although reaction has seemed to be mixed on the trade, some very encouraging advanced scouting of Hunt has been done on twitter…
Actually important advanced scouting report for new Leaf Dryden Hunt: he has a one-year-old Aussiedoodle named Bogey. pic.twitter.com/bVoixzY9d2
— kt (@itsmitchmarney) December 19, 2022
Although it’s possible that Hunt slots in tonight against the Lightning, it seems unlikely given he was just acquired yesterday. Instead, it looks like Jarnkrok will be returning from injury to replace the Malgin-sized hole in the lineup.
Calle Jarnkrok says he intends to play tomorrow. Had been skating for the past week and feels good. @BodogCA @RinkWideTOR
— David Alter (@dalter) December 19, 2022
In Leafs’ prospect news, it looks like the Russian prospects have been doing quite well for themselves lately. Akhtyamov, a goalie prospect from the 2020 draft, is on a three game shutout after his most recent game and seems to be absolutely dominating the VHL lately!
Update: #LeafsForever prospect Artur Akhtyamov made it back to back to BACK shutouts, stopping all 31 shots he faced for the 3-0 win. He’s up to a .950 sv%, with a 17-6-2 record and 6 shutouts.
His last 11 games: 9-1-1, .974 sv%, 4 shutouts. https://t.co/ZrWaTK5G7E
— More like Nikita GREATbyonkin (@brigstew86) December 19, 2022
Nikita Grebyonkin, another Leafs’ prospect, started this season playing with Metallurg, but struggled to get playing time as a young player on a good team. So, they loaned him to Amur, a struggling team. Since then, Greb has been getting a lot more playing time and succeeded, scoring at a half point-per-game pace. In his most recent game, he even got to show his own team (Metallurg) up a little bit!
#LeafsForever prospect Nikita Grebyonkin burns his own KHL team with this nifty, through the legs pass off the boards to spring his teammate on a partial rush. He gets the primary assist, bringing him to 10 points in 20 games with Amur. pic.twitter.com/a8c4t02of4
— More like Nikita GREATbyonkin (@brigstew86) December 19, 2022
In NHL news, apparently Cale Makar is a good enough sport that he’s willing to deny his team a powerplay for it…
A very unique sequence in Colorado.
Mat Barzal was being called for a trip on Cale Makar.
Makar signaled to the Referee that he fell on his own, causing the ref to change the call to no penalty.
Something I’ve never seen before. pic.twitter.com/S28IPJ5moE
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) December 20, 2022
Makar’s just passing on sportsmanship, I guess.
Cale Makar legit just did this in an NHL game pic.twitter.com/2egqTo80uH
— RK (@RyanKoenigsberg) December 20, 2022
And, finally, Andrew Hammond, alternatively known as the Hamburglar, has announced he’s retiring from hockey due to injury. His rapid rise to prominence in 2015, complete with affectionate nickname that he embraced, was one of the more memorable meteoric rises in recent NHL history — even if it was for the Sens. Enjoy post-hockey life, Hamburglar!
— Andrew Hammond (@andrewhammond30) December 19, 2022
Happy Tuesday!