Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.7

www.afootinthecrease.com

After numerous Leafs spent the better part of the first six weeks of the season nursing injuries, the ice packs are finally starting to melt and nobody is rushing to refreeze them. Carlo Colaiacovo, who has been recovering from recurring headaches since the beginning of camp, past his first major test last night as he made it through a full AHL game and played reasonably well in the process. Staffan Kronwall will soon join Colaiacovo with the Marlies as he works toward recovering from an ankle sprain. Pavel Kubina continues to seem confident that he will return around the third week of November.

Of the fallen Leafs, at this point it seems Nik Antropov is the player who will be ready for the lineup first. The question is, “Will the lineup be ready for him?” Apart from the atrocious outing against the Avalanche this past Wednesday, the Leafs forwards have been producing a myriad of goals, a trend certainly unexpected going into the season.

Potentially logical candidates to take a game off like Ben Ondrus, Bates Battaglia, John Pohl, Chad Kilger, and Jeff O’Neill have derived roles for themselves and are excelling at these roles at this point in the season. Further to the causes of the 4th line, Paul Maurice stated specifically after last night’s victory in Columbus that he believe the play of Ondrus, Battaglia and Pohl won the Leafs the game. Think again if you believe Stajan, Steen or Wellwood will be the ones to take a seat. Sundin, Tucker, Peca, well they obviously go without saying.

Nik Antropov is a player who needs 13-15 minutes per game in order to play at an effective level. Play him on the 4th line and he simply will not be noticed. Maurice’s coaching philosophy sees the 4th line get 5-8 energy minutes per game; Antropov is not a relentless, heavy forechecking, energy type of player. Therefore, he requires a 2nd or 3rd line spot and right now, I don’t believe one is available for the taking. The way things stand now, Nik Antropov may be on the outside looking in at least until the injury bug bites again. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.