Maple Leafs Team Report

INSIDE SHOTS

General manager Brian Burke wants it known he hasn’t pushed the “regret” button on the Phil Kessel(notes) trade.

Burke was reacting to a number of reports that his trade talks of late have centered on recovering one of the two first-round picks and one second-round pick that the Boston Bruins received in September for Kessel.

“If we don’t get the pick back we are still content with the deal,” Burke said. “We discussed the possibility of this happening (finishing last) when we made the deal, but based on our training camp record we felt comfortable with it. We still do.

“I just want to get some picks back so my scouts don’t sit for two rounds (on draft day next June). They work hard for 363 days a year to get ready for two days. If we’re not able to do something, they’ll have to lump it. But the goal is to get a second pick back; I don’t think we’ll be able to get a first.”

Burke said Kessel’s six goals and three points in his first 10 games is proof the gamble on Kessel was worth it.

“We’re happy with the deal. You hope that any player you take in the first round will have an impact and Phil’s done the same thing for us. He’s done well without a pure centre who suits his style, without the high-end center he had in Boston (Marc Savard(notes)).”

The Leafs defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Wednesday to open a two-game road trip that continues in Florida on Nov. 27 against the Panthers.

Maple Leafs 4, Lightning 3:   Needing just half the 61 shots they took in a 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Nov. 23, the Leafs put four pucks past Antero Niittymaki(notes) and the Lightning.

“It feels like we’re getting our legs under us and getting more chances,” said winger Niklas Hagman(notes), who had two goals.

That gave him five in his past six games and a team-high 11. Singles came from Matt Stajan(notes) and Nikolai Kulemin(notes). Stajan’s breakaway in the second period was the game winner.

NOTES, QUOTES

• Coach Ron Wilson was full of praise for LW Nikolai Kulemin on Wednesday after he scored in a 4-3 win over Tampa, calling it his best game of the year.

“Not just because he scored,” Wilson said. “He was forechecking and backchecking.”

• RW Phil Kessel says the Leafs can’t abandon their offensive game plan, even if the wins aren’t evident.

“We just have to find a way to get an extra goal here and there,” he said before the Leafs’ fifth win of the year, 4-3 in Tampa on Wednesday.

The Leafs went into Wednesday with a statistical oddity. They led the NHL in shots per game with 34.7, but were in a tie for last place overall in the standings. Two of the top four highest-shooting clubs at present, Detroit and Pittsburgh, were Stanley Cup finalists in 2009.

• The Leafs have played 11 one-goal games in the last 14, losing eight of them.

Quote To Note:   “It’s kind of like that Dutch boy, running around putting my fingers in all the holes as you spring leaks.”—Coach Ron Wilson on dealing with lack of results on offense and defense.

ROSTER REPORT

Goaltenders:   Jonas Gustavsson(notes), Joey MacDonald(notes).

Defensemen:   Luke Schenn(notes), Ian White(notes), Tomas Kaberle(notes), Francois Beauchemin(notes), Garnet Exelby(notes), Carl Gunnarsson(notes).

First Line:   Alexei Ponikarovsky(notes), Matt Stajan, Phil Kessel.

Second Line:   Niklas Hagman, Mikhail Grabovski(notes), Christian Hanson(notes).

Third Line:   Nikolai Kulemin, Wayne Primeau(notes), Lee Stempniak(notes).

Fourth Line:   Jason Blake(notes), Jamal Mayers(notes), Colton Orr(notes).

Player Notes:  

• RW Christian Hanson was recalled from the AHL Toronto Marlies on Nov. 24. He was the farm team’s leading scorer with 18 points in 18 games.

• G Joey MacDonald will serve as G Jonas Gustavsson’s back-up for the road trip as G Vesa Toskala(notes) recovers from a minor groin injury.

• D Carl Gunnarsson had three assists on Wednesday against Tampa.

• C Rickard Wallin(notes) has been a healthy scratch three straight games.

Medical Watch:  

• G Vesa Toskala injured his groin Nov. 23 and is on short term injured reserve.

• D Mike Komisarek(notes) (torn quad muscle) has resumed skating and should return near Dec. 1.

• D Mike Van Ryn(notes) (knee) is out for the season.

• D Jeff Finger(notes) (lower body bruise) is day to day.

• C John Mitchell(notes) (knee) is out six weeks.