‘You want to add as well’: Maple Leafs’ Matthews wants a trade boost

LAS VEGAS — Auston Matthews sees what you see.

His Toronto Maple Leafs stand in first place in the Atlantic Division, and the two rivals hunting them down for that No. 1 seed — the equally hot Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning — have recently taken big swings in the trade market to gear up for a jump-ball stretch run and critical playoff run.

The defending champion Panthers addressed their greatest need by spending a first-round pick to rescue minute-munching right-shot defenceman Seth Jones from Chicago on Saturday, then swiftly filled their backup goaltending depth Wednesday with the acquisition of Vitek Vanecek.

The Lightning took an even greater swing Wednesday, packaging two first-rounders and a second-round pick to obtain centre Yanni Gourde and five-time 20-goal scorer Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken.

Matthews, understandably, wants the Maple Leafs to keep pace in the Atlantic arms race, with just three points separating the three divisional powers.

“You look at our division, in particular. It’s obviously very tight, and we know management is gonna do the best they can. All we can do is just trust in them,” Matthews said Wednesday afternoon, after getting some post-skate treatment at T-Mobile Arena.

“I mean, of course, you’d love to see a boost, I think, with the way that we’ve played this year and the position that we’re in right now.”

Despite some injuries and a gruelling travel schedule, the Maple Leafs have points in six straight and have won eight of their past 10.

“We feel really confident, really good about our team and our group. But this time of year, obviously, you see teams adding, and you want to add as well,” Matthews said.

“So, I’m sure the management staff are doing a lot of thinking right now, doing a lot of homework and stuff like that. And we’ll just leave it in their hands. I’m sure they’ll do what’s best for the team.”

What do you think, Coach? Have your players earned a boost?

“Earned a boost?” Berube smiled, repeating the question.

“We’re all looking to better our team if we can. That’s the best way I’ll put it.”

The options to better the group are flying off the board.

The price of top centre target Brayden Schenn is reportedly too steep for GM Brad Treliving’s liking. Jake Evans re-signed with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, and Gourde — a Leafs’ target — is now trying to reclaim his championship magic in Tampa.

The Maple Leafs will do something here, but Treliving has purposely tried to temper expectations.

“Maybe it’s not the sexy, headline-grabbing move,” Treliving said over the weekend. “But where are areas that you can shore up? And ultimately, what’s available? What’s the cost and how does it all fit in?”

Matthews — and Leafs Nation — will get those answers by Friday.

Lorentz is back, Tanev is close

Chris Tanev, who has been sidelined since Feb. 25, was a full participant in the team’s morning skate for the first time since suffering his shoulder injury and stayed on the ice for extra work.

“He’s getting better, and he’s getting closer,” assures Berube, who did not rule out a Tanev return Saturday in Colorado.

The man has been missed, as Toronto has given up some dangerous chances in the three games without its best pure defender.

“He’s a huge part of our D corps,” Steven Lorentz stresses. “He flies under the radar throughout the league, whether he’s blocking shots, and he’s so poised with the puck. Like, he’s so much better than I thought. He’s definitely a miss back there.”

Lorentz himself had a perfect attendance record until suffering “a neck/head thing” Friday at Madison Square Garden. He sat out the Leafs’ past two games to be safe but may have pushed through the pain had this been the playoffs.

“You don’t want to mess with that,” the happy-go-lucky Lorentz said. “I feel great now, so I’m ready to rock tonight.”

With Calle Järnkrok finally healthy, Wednesday brings our first look at a Lorentz – Kämpf – Järnkrok fourth line. The new unit has the most potential for offence of any Leafs’ fourth line this season.

One-Timers: Connor Dewar and Ryan Reaves will be scratched…. Joseph Woll vs. Adin Hill is the goalie matchup. Sadly, we have been denied an Ilya Samsonov revenge game this season…. Lorentz on the Leafs’ one-game homestand tucked in the middle of a seven-game, cross-country road trip: “Quite the schedule we got, eh?”…. Eighth defenceman Dakota Mermis has joined Toronto for this road trip.

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Maple Leafs projected lineup Wednesday in Las Vegas:

Knies – Matthews – Marner
Holmberg – Tavares – Nylander
McMann – Domi – Robertson
Lorentz – Kämpf – Järnkrok

Rielly – Ekman-Larsson
McCabe – Myers
Benoit – Timmins

Woll starts
Stolarz

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