Lyubushkin will join his fourth NHL team in three seasons after signing a two-year contract worth $6.5 million ($3.25M AAV) with Dallas on Monday. The 30-year-old shutdown defender will make a solid replacement for Chris Tanev after he posted no goals, eight points, 57 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus in 74 games played between Anaheim and Toronto in 2023-24.
Ilya Lyubushkin News
Lyubushkin was away from the Maple Leafs on Friday due to the birth of his child but is expected to be ready to play on Saturday for Game 4 vs. Boston. The 30-year-old shutdown defenseman has played well since being acquired at the trade deadline and has one assist, one SOG, two PIMs, and a +2 plus/minus in the first three games of the playoffs.
Connor Timmins will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Lyubushkin to re-enter the lineup. Lyubushkin was acquired at the trade deadline and has settled in nicely during his second tenure with the Maple Leafs, with four assists, eight SOG and a +3 plus/minus through 15 games played.
With Toronto on the back end of a back-to-back and Lyubushkin struggling with injuries as of late, Conor Timmins will replace him in the Maple Leafs lineup Tuesday. Lyubushkin was acquired at the trade deadline and has settled in nicely during his second tenure with the Maple Leafs, with four assists, eight SOG and a +3 plus/minus through 15 games played.
Lyubushkin has played five straight for the Maple Leafs, registering two assists, a +1 plus/minus, and 25 hits. Simon Benoit will replace Lyubushkin on Tuesday, but he has not been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Washington Capitals.
Lyubushkin has played five straight for the Maple Leafs, registering two assists, a +1 plus/minus, and 25 hits. The Maple Leafs play back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday but Lyubushkin is unlikely to play the front-end against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lyubushkin played 16:08 time-on-ice in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, recording one assist and five hits, but is battling an undisclosed injury and might not play on Saturday. Since joining the Maple Leafs, Lyubushkin has had two points (0G / 2A) and 20 hits in six games.
Lyubushkin made his debut with the Maple Leafs on Saturday after being acquired in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the week but was unable to complete the game, playing only 12:12 time-on-ice before exiting with a head injury after being hit by New York Ranger Matt Rempe. The hard-nosed Lybushkin is in his second stint with the Maple Leafs and has 116 hits and 138 blocks in 56 games this season.
The Maple Leafs get Lyubushkin from the Ducks, who received a third-round pick and retained 50 percent of his $2.75M AAV cap-hit. The Hurricanes received a sixth-round pick to retain 25 percent of the contract. Lyubushkin is in his sixth NHL season and heads to Toronto with four assists, 112 hits and 138 blocked shots in 55 games this season.
The move looks to be a precautionary one as the Ducks are reportedly close to moving Lyubushkin in a trade. Lyubushkin has 138 blocked shots, 112 hits, and four assists in 55 games this season.
Lyubuskin has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury but will draw back into the lineup on Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks. In his last three outings, Lyubushkin has a -4 plus/minus, one shot, and two hits.
The Ducks announced Lyubushkin's absence less than 15 minutes before puck drop, adding that he is day-to-day with the injury. Robert Hagg will draw into the lineup in his place.
Robert Hagg will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Lyubushkin to return to the lineup after a one-game absence due to an upper-body injury. Lyubushkin has four penalty minutes and -4 plus/minus in his last two contests.