Sean Durzi might have had a bag of popcorn and a soft drink in the first NHL game he recalls in Toronto, a six-year-old accompanying his father, Raami, in 2005.
Thursday was going to be a much bigger deal with the defenceman on ice for the Los Angeles Kings, though sure to have a hole in his wallet before he blocks a shot. The Mississauga-born Durzi needed “north of 200” tickets in one of the National Hockey League’s most costly venues.
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“Very expensive,” Durzi said, laughing, at the morning skate. “I bought as many as I could and they were tapped out, but I have a lot of friends who found tickets in different ways.
“All my friends, we all dreamed of playing on this ice. That was our first point of view of the NHL. It’s going to be very cool to experience it.”
Of course, Durzi wanted this Scotiabank Arena moment to be as a Maple Leaf, as their second-round pick in 2018 behind fellow defenceman Rasmus Sandin. But in their decision to push for playoff success in 2019, the Leafs let Durzi go as part of the larger Jake Muzzin acquisition.
“It’s tough for me, they drafted me, made a dream come true,” Durzi said. “But circumstances at the time made the move for both clubs. I’m just happy to show what I can do for this club and that they made the right choice.”
Durzi is currently on the Kings’ second pairing with Matt Roy, so far amassing 18 points in 25 games, on pace to beat his last season’s 64-game totals.
“Last year with injuries, when he came up, he instantly belonged, he created depth,” praised coach Todd McLellan. “He gives us another offensive player back there and plays with a bite. We’re fortunate to have him.”
This has been quite a time for the class of ‘18 Toronto draft. In addition to Durzi, Sandin is excelling, forward Semyon Der-Arguchintsev made his debut Tuesday in Dallas, defenceman Mac Hollowell has been in the lineup a few games, as was Filip Kral before getting hurt with the Marlies. Forward Pontus Holmberg, chosen 156th overall, has three points in 12 games.
WITNESS TO HISTORY
Durzi mentioned that first NHL game he remembered was decided in a shootout. In fact it was the first in NHL history, opening night of the 2005-06 season, when the overtime tiebreaker was introduced. Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley scored for the Ottawa Senators on Ed Belfour of Toronto, which was 0-for-2 against Dominik Hasek, with Jason Allison and Eric Lindros missing.
Defenceman Bryan McCabe was Durzi’s favourite Leaf, though he never forgot how towering Ottawa’s Zdeno Chara was.
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BRODIE BACK ON D
The long list of injuries to Toronto’s defence was shortened by one important addition on Thursday.
TJ Brodie came back from an oblique muscle issue that sidelined him since Remembrance Day, a return slightly ahead of schedule.
“The whole thing has been based on how I felt,” said Brodie, who definitely wanted to be back by Saturday’s home game against his former team, the Calgary Flames.
“The guys have been playing really good hockey, they’ve been connected back there on back checks and gaps and it’s definitely shown (in the club’s recent record).”
Brodie was to partner new Leaf Conor Timmins, as coach Sheldon Keefe eased him back into the rotation. Timmins, a native of St. Catherines, Ont., was also pumped to be playing his first Leaf home game.
“My dad (Dan), my grandpa (Bill) were diehard Leaf fans and I grew up one,” Timmins said. “They’re known to have the best fans in the league here and to play front of them, not too far from my home town, it’s a very exciting day for me.”
Jake Muzzin (neck), Morgan Rielly (knee) and Jordie Benn (upper body) are still out and not practicing with the team.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Now that injuries and cap space have created a larger roster for general manager Kyle Dubas and Keefe to draw from, the trick becomes getting the most from fringe players trying to crack the lineup.
That the Leafs are winning of late should intensify that battle, as Nick Robertson, Denis Malgin and Wayne Simmonds strive to earn more ice time. After giving Der-Arguchintsev a surprise NHL debut in Dallas, the Leafs demoted him and activated Malgin against the Kings.
“It certainly should (motivate Malgin),” Keefe said. “Regardless of how the team’s playing when you’ve got a lineup you can get back in, you want to take advantage of it.
“Clearly there’s a competition going on here. (Malgin) had played really well, then we saw a dip a little bit. Calle Jarnkrok (out a couple of weeks with a groin injury) has given opportunities for other people, whether that’s Robertson moving up or SDA getting a chance.
“Simmonds gets back in Saturday, so this is an opportunity to get back and play the way Malgin was.”
lhornby@postmedia.com
