Not even the Toronto Marlies - the class of the AHL this year, with a staggering .788 win percentage - are immune to injuries. It'd be nice if they were, but two players have officially been lost for the rest of the season.
One is Justin Johnson, a rather large (6'1, 220 lb.) 34-year-old career minor leaguer. He played eight games for the Marlies this season, but that - and the one assist and 36 penalty minutes - will be it for him this year.
The other? Scott Harrington, a 22-year-old (soon to be 23) defensive prospect whom the Maple Leafs acquired in the Phil Kessel trade.
Harrington kicked off his season in the Leafs lineup, and played 15 games in the NHL (which is more than you can say for Frank Corrado this year! Oh, I made myself sad) before being sent down in late November to make room for Garret Sparks. During his time up with the big club, he registered his first NHL point - an assist - and averaged 13:06 a game.
Since then, however, he's only played 17 games for the Marlies: scoring one goal and two assists over that time frame. His last game was on Jan. 3, in a 3-2 overtime win against the Syracuse Crunch. Aside from two shots, he was held off the scoreboard, and hasn't dressed since then - it's only just now official that that's it for him this season.
But hey, while we're talking Marlies - at least there's this!
Mike Babcock was at the Marlies game last night and says he saw them make more plays in four shifts than the #leafs have in a week.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 20, 2016
... So... bright future, anyone? Hopefully Harrington will be a part of that soon enough.
