VANCOUVER – Martin Marincin might be back in Mike Babcock’s plans.

During practice Friday at the University of British Columbia, Marincin and Jake Gardiner were paired on defence and Babcock indicated the gangly Slovak could be back after spending six of the past seven in the press box.

“I haven’t decided exactly, but I think so,” Babcock said of Marincin drawing back in.

That would leave Connor Carrick without a partner. But Babcock was clear that Frank Corrado will sit again, no doubt a letdown after his time in Vancouver.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

A couple of Leafs noted they are starting to “buy in” to what Babcock is preaching about better defence.

But the coach wondered why they wouldn’t already have at this stage, more than 100 games with him behind the bench.

“I just assume everyone has bought in,” Babcock said. “To me, it’s really simple. You don’t all play well as a team, you don’t win. I’m under the (impression) everyone on the team wants to win, sacrifice a little bit of individual rights for team rights, so we can have success.”

Earlier in the trip, Babcock expressed that another way.

“What our guys are learning is the better you play without the puck, the more you get it. If you want to score and have points, as most young guys do, you better learn to play without it.”

Defenceman Matt Hunwick added “it takes five guys to play defence. Freddie will give you a chance (in goal), we have to give him a chance, Games we were losing, it was breakdowns that were self-inflicted. back-door goals, little things.”

LOOSE LEAFS

A ‘Go Leafs Go’ chant broke out at UBC among the small group of Toronto fans let in to watch Friday’s workout. And all the players were doing was pre-practice stretching … Nazem Kadri and Matt Martin have 99 penalty minutes between them, the rest of the Leafs on the current roster 153 … Winger Josh Leivo remains with the team as a non-roster player … It’s coming up on 30 years since the last Toronto hat trick against the Canucks, Rick Vaive on Feb. 28, 1987 at the Gardens. Markus Naslund’s in 2001 was the most recent for Vancouver against Toronto …  You won’t miss 6-foot-7 Canucks defenceman Niikita Tryamkin on Saturday … The local hockey community was mourning the death of long-time NHL linesman Jim Cristison this week. The Vancouver-born Cristison was one of the first officials to come from B.C., hired the same year the Canucks entered the NHL in 1970. He worked more than 1,500 regular season and playoffs games before becoming a supervisor. He died at 70 of heart issues … Defenceman Travis Dermott is skating again with the Marlies after a month away with a lower-body injury … Goalie Garrett Sparks has been activated by the Marlies after a brief suspension for inappropriate comments on social media.

Read More..