Report: Kapanen recall was last straw for Leivo

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports on some controversy in the Leafss dressing room…

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Report: Kapanen recall was last straw for Leivo
Zuma Press

If you happened to miss this past weekend’s Saturday Headlines segment during CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Sportsnet reporter and NHL insider Nick Kypreos dropped a bomb on Toronto Maple Leafs fans: Josh Leivo wants out.

According to Kypreos, the 24-year-old Leivo has officially requested a trade, citing his frustration with head coach Mike Babcock’s unwillingness to give him regular playing time. Whether or not Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello grants Leivo’s request or not however, remains to be seen.

Yesterday afternoon Kypreos’ Sportsnet colleague Elliotte Friedman updated Leivo’s situation and alleged that teammate Kasperi Kapanen may have something to do with Leivo’s trade request.

Check it out:

Toronto is at the maximum 50 contracts, which is not where you want to be approaching the deadline. As Nick Kypreos reported last weekend, Josh Leivo asked for a trade. He made it clear he prefers to stay and play, but I think Kasperi Kapanen’s call-up was the last straw for him.

Wow… how’s that for being a good teammate? You get passed on the depth chart because someone outperforms you, so you ask to be traded? That certainly won’t go over well with coach Babcock.

Leivo has  played just 12 games for the Leafs this season, collecting 3 points in the process. He's been a healthy scratch for the team’s other 54 games.

The speedy, right shooting Leivo should be a natural fit in Babcock’s system, but for some inexplicable reason, the youngster just can’t get himself into the lineup. When asked about the trade request, Babcock claimed ignorance.

“As far as Leivs goes, he hasn’t got a lot of opportunity to play, but I’d talk to Lou if I was you about that. I know nothing,” Babcock said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

There are still three weeks to go until the NHL’s February 26 trade deadline, will Leivo remain with the Leafs past that date? Time will tell.