TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs play nine of their next 11 games at home Chicago Blackhawks Hats Authentic , but for now their coach, Mike Babcock, has eyes only on the first one at Scotiabank Arena, Thursday night against the Florida Panthers.“I don’t worry as much about the stretch as I worry about tomorrow,” Babcock said at practice Wednesday. “Florida beat us the other night, we weren’t prepared at the start and they outplayed us, and then we were able to get the game back even in the third period.“We would like to start on time, like we did (Tuesday) night (at New Jersey). We know we’re playing a real good team. (Aleksander) Barkov ran our show last game. Dominated us, basically. We have to look after that.”Article continues below ...The Panthers (13-13-6) defeated the Maple Leafs in Florida on Saturday 4-3 in overtime with Barkov scoring three goals, including the winner.The Maple Leafs (22-10-2) completed their five-game trip Tuesday night with a 2-2-1 record after a 7-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils.The Panthers, meanwhile, used the victory over the Maple Leafs as a springboard and defeated the Sabres in Buffalo 5-2 on Tuesday with four third-period goals.“We’ve been in that situation so many times this year — one-goal games, trailing and coming back Custom Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys , letting a game fall again,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “It was important that. … I think we’re learning from our mistakes, to be honest with you. If I had to say one thing, I think we’re getting more mature in those situations.”Playing for an extended period at home might not be such as big advantage for the Maple Leafs as it might be for some other teams. The Maple Leafs have the best road record in the NHL at 13-5-1.“I just think we have good team depth, so if we play right we give ourselves an opportunity on most nights so we feel fortunate about that,” Babcock said.The Leafs are 9-5-1 at home.The Maple Leafs have been getting excellent play all season from defenseman Morgan Rielly, and he was strong in New Jersey again. He made a big defensive play on a Devils two-on-one to set up a Maple Leafs three-on-one on the counter attack that resulted in the first goal of the game.Rielly also scored his 11th goal of the season in the final second of the second period.“I knew it was getting down to it, so I just tried to get it on net,” Rielly said. “The fact that it went in before the end of the period was a little lucky. A nice break, I guess.”“Well, he’s got way better,” Babcock said. “His stick and his feet in the D-zone and defensive awareness have become way better. I think getting Ron Hainsey has really helped him that way. Obviously, he’s got good growth www.officialavalanche.com , we all knew he was good offensively, but the defensive part it’s been a huge difference. He’s doing a good job, he’s a good player. He skates really well which would be his greatest asset, he’s competitive and has lots of energy.”The Panthers, who are 6-8-2 on the road, defeated two of the better teams in the NHL in their past two games to get their record to .500.“We’ve been talking all year about being composed and protecting leads, and I think that’s probably the best we’ve done all year,” Boughner said. “It was good puck decision and puck management. I thought that we played hard D, and we never stopped going at ’em, which was important. (The Sabres) do come out hard in this building. We knew that. I think they’ve only lost three games here all year. They’re a good hockey team over there. This was a big road win for us.” Could the Columbus Blue Jackets possibly trade Artemi Panarin at this point?A week ago, it seemed likely, if not certain, that the Blue Jackets would part with their high-scoring winger because of his status as a potential free agent July 1. There would certainly be no point in holding on to Panarin for the rest of the season and getting nothing in return for him.However Colorado Avalanche T-Shirts Authentic , the Blue Jackets have been quite active in the days leading up to the deadline, completing two separate deals with the Ottawa Senators for Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel.Duchene and Dzingel are both in the final years of their contract and will be free agents July 1. The Blue Jackets moved assets to acquire players who will hit the open market at the end of the year unless they suddenly sign with the Jackets.General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has apparently decided to go for the brass ring with his Blue Jackets. Kekalainen must have great faith in his team having an excellent chance to win the Stanley Cup or he wouldn't have traded for Duchene and Dzingel.That brings us to Panarin, who has scored 24 goals and 45 assists to this point in the season. If Kekalainen is indeed going for it, how could he possibly trade Panarin? Kekalainen has not ruled out trading Panarin at this point, but he would have to be overwhelmed with a trade proposal to move him.Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that Kekalainen islistening to offers for Panarinand that if a deal is made for the winger, it would be one that helps the Blue Jackets in the present and the future.Kekalainen is creating an intense market for Panarin because of his acquisition of Duchene and Dzingel. They were two of the more attractive players that were up for trade, and now they have been taken off the market.That means the best players available at this point are Panarin and Mark Stone of the Senators. It seems certain that Stone will be traded, and there is no chance he will remain with the Senators. Once that happens, Panarin will be the only true game-changer left on the board.That means Kekalainen should be able to command the price he wants for Panarin, and that almost certainly means a combination of players, prospects and draft picks.If that is the case, Kekalainen will have proved himself a master of the trade deadline because of the way he has acquired two strong assets and has driven up the value of his own top asset.Stone remains on the marketStone has scored 28 goals and 34 assists for the Senators this season, and he can clearly be a game-changing asset for any potential Stanley Cup hopeful that acquires him.Bob McKenzie of TSN and NBC reported that the Winnipeg Jets Colorado Avalanche Hoodies Authentic , Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins have the most interest in Stone. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that there areeight teamsinterested in acquiring Stone's services.The Jets may be getting close to completing a deal for Stone, according to Hockey Night in Canada insider Elliotte Friedman. The trade for Stone is likely to includea 2019 first-round selection, a conditional second-round pick and two prospects.While Panarin and Stone are the leading names at the trade deadline, there are several others who will also be coveted.Simmonds update and moreWayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers is another potential game-changer, as he has scored 24 goals or more in a season six times in his career.Simmonds has been discussed as a trade possibility for several weeks, but Philadelphia general manager Chuck Fletcher has been trying to give his team a chance to get back in the playoff race.While the Flyers staged a powerful comeback to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime Saturday, they are still seven points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.Fletcher has started to engage in trade talks, per Frank Seravalli of TSN. The Bruins are likely to show interest in Simmonds, according toSam Carchidi of Philly.comMarcus Johansson of the New Jersey Devils is creating "traction," according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and TSN.Some of the other key players who have an excellent chance to move at the deadline include Kevin Hayes of the New York Rangers and Michael Raffl of the Philadelphia Flyers.Gustav Nyquist was traded by the Detroit Red Wings to the San Jose Sharks early Monday morning. The Sharks sent a second-round pick in 2019 and a conditional third-round pick in 2020 to Detroit.