Miles Wood is headed to Toronto with more than just a chance to sit in the press box and wait. With John Tavares away for the birth of his son, Wood is expected to join the Maple Leafs ahead of Saturday’s game in Colorado, and there’s at least a possibility he gets into the lineup. If he does, Toronto will get a look at a player whose value starts with pace and bite.
That’s Wood’s calling card. He’s a fast, physical winger who likes to hunt on the forecheck and make the ice feel smaller for opponents.
For a team that can use a little more push in the bottom six, that kind of presence matters. He won’t be asked to step in and replace Tavares’ offence, because Toronto has other ways to handle that hole.
At practice, Nick Paul took reps in Tavares’ spot.
What Wood can do is keep a line moving and give the Maple Leafs another forward who plays with an edge. He’s not some untested call-up either.
Wood has played 567 NHL games and collected 196 points, so this isn’t a player who needs his hand held through every shift. He already knows the league, knows the pace, and knows what it takes to survive in it.
The numbers from last season back up that he can chip in a little, too. In 54 games with Columbus, he scored eight goals and added six assists. That’s not the profile of a major offensive addition, but it does show there’s some finish there when chances open up.
The longer question is what happens once Tavares comes back. Wood carries a $2.5-million cap hit and has three seasons left on his contract, so this is more than a brief stopgap on a bargain deal. Toronto will have to sort out whether he can carve out a regular role or whether he’s more of a roster piece who could be moved down the line.
Still, it’s worth saying plainly that this doesn’t have to be some big hidden-message audition. The immediate need is simple: Tavares is out, and the Maple Leafs need another forward available.
If Wood turns this into something more, great. If not, the assignment is straightforward - bring speed, play hard, finish checks, get to the net and make the most of the minutes he gets.
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Blankenburg arrived on a one-year deal after a strong training camp, so this is a useful early look at how he fits once the games start to count. There is still one notable piece left hanging ahead of puck drop, though, because Hiller declined to name the starting goaltender, leaving Torontos final call in net as the other decision worth watching before the matchup begins. [Read more 🡒]