The Vancouver Canucks have claimed Travis Boyd off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs to help bolster their offensive depth. Sportsnet reporter Chris Johnston broke the news on Monday morning.
Vancouver claims Travis Boyd off waivers from Toronto.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 22, 2021
Travis Boyd Claimed On Waivers
Travis Boyd’s acquisition provides the Canucks with a good depth piece on the fourth line. Boyd has three goals and eight points in 20 games this season. However, where he has struggled on the ice is in his play-driving ability. The 27-year-old had the worst Corsi For (42.5 percent) and relative Corsi (-6.9) numbers of any regular skater on the Leafs’ roster in 2020-21.
Drafted in the sixth round in the 2011 draft by the Washington Capitals, it took six years before Travis Boyd made his National Hockey League debut. He played college hockey for the University of Minnesota and then in the AHL for the Hershey Bears before getting his shot at the highest level. Over his four-year NHL career, he has 11 goals and 39 points in 105 games.
Boyd becomes the second Maple Leaf claimed off waivers by Canucks general manager Jim Benning. Jimmy Vesey was also acquired last week to provide relief on the wing after Tanner Pearson went down with a lower-body injury. Together, Boyd and Vesey take up $1.6 million in annual cap-hit as per CapFriendly.
What This Means Going Forward
It feels as though Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is shedding his roster of these contracts in order to create more cap space to make a big splash before April 12th’s trade deadline. Toronto is well-placed to make a decent run this season. Given the divisional realignment, the Leafs have the added boon of not running into the Boston Bruins or the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Vancouver is making savvy additions to its lineup. With a lot of money tied up in practically immovable bottom-six contracts, Benning is picking up cheap players to help bolster the team’s playoff push. The Canucks are 8-2-1 in March and in hot pursuit of Montreal, who are only two points above them. Although the Canadiens currently have four games in hand.
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