The Toronto Maple Leafs made the conscious decision to take on a reclamation project this season. So far, it can only be considered a success.
The day after Valentine’s Day this year, The Toronto Maple Leafs showed that they had fallen out of love with right-winger Egor Korshkov and defenseman David Warsofsky. They shipped the pair to the Carolina Hurricanes in return for Alex Galchenyuk. Galchenyuk never even made it to Carolina. They, like the Ottawa Senators who sent him there, didn’t want the center on their roster.
The Leafs not only wanted Galchenyuk but gave him a chance to return to glory. This was a player who was selected third overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, two picks ahead of Morgan Rielly.
The expectations for Galchenyuk’s career were high and the club that brought him to the NHL, the Montreal Canadiens believed they had found themselves a stud.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Alex Galchenyuk
Galchenyuk appeared to have put everything together and reached his potential in 2015-16. That year he had 30 goals and 26 assists for a total of 56 points. That was the highest sum he ever had and the only time the American eclipsed the 30 goal mark. His next highest goal total was 20, which he only reached once. (All stats hockey-reference.com).
Last season, playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild, Galchenyuk played in 59 games where he recorded 8 goals and 16 assists. He then joined the Senators to start this season where he played a limited role. In Ottawa, Galchenyuk was trusted to play just nine and a half minutes per night. That’s why when he joined the Leafs, it was considered to be a reclamation project for the club.
In Toronto, Galchenyuk regained his confidence and found a permanent spot in Sheldon Keefe’s lineup. Playing left wing, he has improved his time-on-ice with his new club to 13:59 per game. Galchenyuk has even proven himself to earn a spot on the second line to join John Tavares and William Nylander. There’s no doubt that playing with the pair has ensured the success of the Leafs project.
On Saturday night, playing against the Vancouver Canucks, Galchenyuk scored his fourth goal of the season. While the Leafs would have loved to get the 2016 version of the forward, they’re getting exactly what they need. The second line has had many different looks this season but Galchenyuk may be the best compliment his star linemates have gotten. He may not be the Leafs most important player, but his impact is significant and the team is fortunate to have him.
The true measure of this reclamation project will be how Galchenyuk performs in the postseason. The Maple Leafs and their fans certainly hope to continue to see solid performances. Considering they gave up two players who no longer projected to be NHL regulars to bring Galchenyuk into the fold, it makes this an even better success story for the Buds.