NHL News: Leafs recall Matt Frattin, Blue Jackets claim Darryl Boyce

By Bob Mitchell, TheStar.com

Rookie Matt Frattin is back for his third stint with the Maple Leafs this season.

But will Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals be his last in a blue and white uniform or is the former North Dakota sniper back with the big club to help get Toronto into the playoffs?

Frattin, 24, has been playing exceptionally well with the Marlies since being sent down on Jan. 5.

But his name has also surfaced as being one of the young players other teams have been asking about should Leafs GM Brian Burke pull the trigger on a big trade before 3 p.m. on Monday. He could be showcased for such a deal.

With the Marlies, Frattin has scored 12 goals and four assists in 21 games. The 6-foot, 200-pound winger from Edmonton had five goals and five assists in 37 games with the Leafs.

Meanwhile, the Leafs lost Darryl Boyce. The hard-working and always personable penalty killer from P.E.I was claimed off waivers on Saturday by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In many games this season, Frattin had plenty of chances to score. It seemed only a matter of time before the strong skating forward would start cashing in his chances. But with the Leafs injured players returning, Frattin was the odd man out mostly because Toronto didn’t have to put him on waivers.

He’ll likely play on the Leafs’ third line against the Caps Saturday with Tim Connolly and either Matthew Lombardi or Joey Crabb. One of them will be a healthy scratch against the Caps because coach Ron Wilson said earlier on Saturday that they wouldn’t be calling up anybody from the Marlies if they didn’t intend to play him.

Boyce, 27, had a goal and an assist in 17 games this season with the Leafs. He was a healthy scratch nine times but until being waived had been a solid member of Leafs fourth line with David Steckel and Mike Brown. He was recalled from the Marlies on Dec. 20. He had four goals and six assists in 20 games with Toronto’s AHL affiliate.

Columbus has the worst penalty killing in the league and Boyce should help them in that department going forward and into next season.

Jay Rosehill, 26, cleared waivers on Saturday and reported to the Marlies. A healthy scratch for 45 games, Rosehill had zero points in 16 games with Toronto.

Leafs free up room by placing Boyce and Rosehill on waivers

There's either a trade or callup happening by tomorrow as both Boyce and Rosehill have been placed on waivers and will be sent to Marlies if not claimed by noon Saturday. If it is a callup, will Colborne and Frattin get the nod?

Rosehill, the 26-year-old enforcer who signed a one-year deal with the Leafs in June worth $600,000, has been a scarcely used commodity this season. He has played in just 16 of the Leafs’ 61 games and been involved in just three fights according to the web site hockeyfights.com

Boyce, the 27-year-old left winger, has split time with the Leafs and Marlies this season. In his most recent six-game stint with the big club he was a point-less minus-4 in limited playing time.

Goalie Evgeni Nabokov of the New York Islanders and right winger Dustin Brown of the L.A. Kings are among the rumour mill’s favoured possibilities of NHL players that may be coming to Toronto.

Source: TheStar.com

Harness driver Matt Kakaley becomes youngest driver to 2,000 wins

Dover, DE --- Matt Kakaley became the youngest driver to win 2,000 career races when he reached the milestone at Dover Downs on Monday (Feb. 13).

It did not take Kakaley long to become, at age 23, the youngest driver in harness history to win 2,000 races. Kakaley, handling Howard Taylor’s We The People, won the first race of the day in a time of 1:53. The former record holder, Tim Tetrick, was 24 when he won his 2,000th race.

Ron Pierce drove Ise The By Boy to his first victory in the $30,000 Preferred Handicap. After scoring in a Winners Over two weeks ago and an Open last Monday, Ise The By Boy picked up a lifetime record 1:50.3 in besting Mainland Key N, driven by Tim Tetrick, and fast finishing Delivered From Zin, with Corey Callahan. Eric Ell conditions the Mach Three-Price Lee Fiesta gelding for Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta.

After racing on the outside from after the half, Nova Artist chopped down front-pacing Cams Art (Tim Tetrick) in the closing strides en route to a 1:50.1 triumph in the $30,000 Delaware Special Handicap. Nova Artist is an all Davis family 5-year-old by Real Artist-Avon Elegant Osborne, owned by Eddie and Kathy Davis, trained and driven by their sons, Martin and Allan Davis. The 1:50.1 clocking equals Nova Artist’s career best. Catchmecullen A (Tim Curtin) finished third.

In the $23,000 Open Pace, meet leading driver Corey Callahan steered Louie Paglierani’s Lou’s Bad Yankee to victory in 1:51.1, win number three in his last four and five of his last seven outings. The Badlands Hanover-Yankee Vista gelding was chased home by Samandar (Tim Tetrick) and Fancyfreeshark (Jon Roberts), second and third, respectively.

Source: UStrotting.com

Could Maple Leafs add Nash AND Carter?

It would be the biggest trade of the year: Rick Nash and Jeff Carter to Toronto for Tim Connolly, Mike Komisarek, Colby Armstrong, Korbinian Holzer, Jesse Blacker plus a 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder. Colborne gets callup to join Nash and Carter as three additions for Leafs playoff drive.

Some may see it as one-sided toward the Leafs, however the contracts they send to Columbus are a LOT shorter than the ones they are taking on, so the Blue Jackets will have plenty of room to sign their own RFAs in coming years and still play in the free agent market (while still getting the four youngsters they seek in Holzer, Blacker and two picks). Toronto is one of the few teams with the financial strength that would allow them to take on both Carter and Nash.

Nash names Toronto Maple Leafs as one of five teams he'll play for

According to Calgary Herald, Bruins, Kings, Rangers and Sharks also in mix

Rick Nash, so far the biggest name on the NHL rumour mill ahead of the Feb. 27 trade deadline, has given the Columbus Blue Jackets a list of five teams to which he'll OK a trade, the Columbus Dispatch reports.

According to the Dispatch, the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs "are believed to be on the approved list."

The paper also says the Jackets are seeking at least one young player on an NHL team's roster, as well as top prospects and draft picks.

Sharks net Moore

The San Jose Sharks added depth at the centre position Thursday night by acquiring Dominic Moore from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The deal sees the Lightning land a second-round pick while handing over a seventh-round pick to San Jose. The second-rounder originally belonged to the Minnesota Wild.

The well-travelled Moore, 31, has also played for the Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Toronto, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens.

In 56 games with Tampa this season, Moore had four goals and 15 assists.

Meanwhile, the Lightning plan to keep Pavel Kubina out of the lineup while attempting to trade the veteran defenceman. Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman announced the decision Thursday.

Tampa Bay entered Thursday 13th in the Eastern Conference and is a longshot to make the playoffs.

Kubina, 34, has 11 points and is plus-1 in 52 games this season.

Nazem Kadri interview: "you kind of learn to cope with it"

In an interview with Sean Fitzgerald of the National Post today, Toronto Maple Leafs' star prospect Nazem Kadri talks about another demotion to the Marlies amid widespread trade speculation.

When did Leafs general manager Brian Burke and coach Ron Wilson tell you that you were headed back down to the AHL?
“They told me before the morning skate yesterday. They just told me to keep working, keep plugging away. And they told me I had a bright future with this organization, and I believe I do. It’s kind of nice that they’re behind me, but obviously, right now it’s a bit of a complicated situation. Whatever happens in the near future happens, but I’m hoping to stay with this team and this organization, because that’s where I want to be.”

You’ve been up and down a bit — is it frustrating?
“It’s, I guess, a little bit frustrating at first. But you kind of learn to cope with it. One thing, before I left yesterday, Burkie and Wils told me not to be discouraged because they believe in me, and it’s not like I’m getting this demotion because I haven’t played up to expectations or up to standards. It’s just a situation where I was able to be sent down and not clear waivers. It’s as simple as that. Like I said, I don’t know what’s going to happen here with the team and the organization in the next couple of weeks, but I sure hope to be a part of it.”

You had a big hit on Penguins defenceman Paul Martin on Tuesday night. How would you grade what might be your last NHL game for at least a little while?
“I don’t really tiptoe around the ice and walk on eggshells just because I’m afraid someone’s going to come after me. So I just play the way I’ve got to play. And it was a good, clean hit. So it’s not like I left my feet or I led with my arms or my elbows. It’s part of my game. I can get under people’s skin, too, along with my skill game. I think that’s what makes me such a key component, and I also think that’s why Wils and Burkie have such high expectations and told me that I had a bright future with this club — because they enjoy the way I play and the heart I wear on my sleeve.”

How do you deal with your name coming up in trade speculation?
“I don’t really read too much into the newspapers and the magazines and the blogs. I’m not really too into that. I have, obviously heard on TV, when your name randomly comes up when you’re just sitting there watching. It’s a bit awkward, but like I said, whatever happens, happens. And this is an organization that I want to spend my whole career with, so I hope they see it the same way.”

Do you think this was one of your better stints with the Leafs?
“For sure. I think it’s been good. It’s been fun. I’ve also learned a lot. I think Wils trusts me on the ice, too, in certain situations where, before, he didn’t at all. Like you saw in the last game against Pittsburgh, I was out there against that top line quite often, with Malkin probably the most dangerous player in the league right now. Wils had the confidence in me to throw me out there and actually create and take care of my own end, too.”