Through his international hockey experience with Team Canada, Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock has a strong working relationship with St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong.
Which is why Babcock believes a change of scenery could end up working wonders for forward Nikita Soshnikov, who
the Blues acquired in a trade with the Maple Leafs
for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft on Thursday.
"This is a really good opportunity for [Soshnikov]," Babcock said Friday. "He got off track a little bit, but he's a good kid. He can be a good penalty killer, play with speed, play with some nastiness.
"I think he'll fit in good there. It's important for [him] too to get a new lease on life, and that he does something with it for his own mindset.
"We're happy for [him] that he got a good opportunity in a good organization. Doug Armstrong and those guys will look after him good."
This season, the 24-year-old forward had no points in three games with the Maple Leafs. He has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 19 games with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
Injuries have set Soshnikov back as well. On Nov. 24, he sustained a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve. He was assigned to the AHL for conditioning Feb. 1 and was recalled Feb. 12, but remained on injured reserve.
The Maple Leafs, in third place in the Atlantic Division, three points behind the Boston Bruins, play at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV).