In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Toronto Maple Leafs made some interesting lineup choices as they took on the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night. Why did Tyler Bertuzzi sit the first half of the first period and why was T.J. Brodie scratched? Meanwhile, there is more on the Edmonton Oilers’ pursuit of Sean Walker at the trade deadline. Finally, Sean Couturier is being scratched again by the Philadelphia Flyers. What is going on there?
Maple Leafs Lineup and Roster Choices on Wednesday
Tyler Bertuzzi was feeling under the weather to start Wednesday’s game versus the Washington Capitals. Because of it, he didn’t play in the first half of the first period. Sheldon Keefe said:
“It was a bit questionable if he was even going to play tonight. Just before warmup, he was saying he wasn’t feeling right. He went through warmup, and he still wasn’t quite feeling it, but he felt good enough to the point where he was going to stay in uniform. We didn’t have any others in uniform tonight. The only other eligible player was Brodie, who we were giving a mental day away to anyhow. We decided to stick with Bert.”
Bertuzzi did end up playing later and scored a goal.
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Keefe’s decision to scratch veteran defenseman T.J. Brodie Wednesday night is garnering some attention. This marked the first time Brodie has been a healthy scratch during his tenure with Toronto. Keefe cited Brodie’s subpar performance this season as the reason for the decision but focused on it being a chance to give Brodie a break. Mike Johnson said he believed that Keefe did this to ensure that the Leafs’ players stay in grind mode as the regular season winds down. This is a team that has often coasted into the playoffs and then been upset by opponents when they weren’t ready to play in a series. He’s trying to avoid that this season.
Oilers Confirmed to Have Taken Long Look at Sean Walker
It was reported earlier this week that the Oilers looked at defenseman Sean Walker at the trade deadline. They didn’t land him and the Colorado Avalanche did. It was Elliotte Friedman who broke that story and then discussed it again on the 32 Thoughts podcast this week.
He noted, Edmonton took a long look at Walker and ultimately decided not to do it. The decision is being questioned after Walker scored two goals versus the Oilers in an overtime loss, but the cost was a first-round pick. At the same time, one has to wonder if the Flyers regret that trade considering the Ryan Johansen situation. Johansen was too injured to be waived and while the Flyers had no plans to keep him on their roster, he’s now a part of the team.
Sean Couturier Scratched Again
Speaking of the Flyers, it looks like captain Sean Couturier is going to be scratched for a second straight game. Head coach John Tortorella was sending a message with the first healthy scratch. Couturier publicly aired his frustrations about the decision. After the Flyers won, Tortorella is scratching him again but refuses to give a detailed explanation as to why.
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The Flyers take on the Carolina Hurricanes and these games mean a lot. It seems odd that a likely motivated Couturier wouldn’t be given a shot to get in the game and be a difference-maker.