NHL Trade Buzz: Matthews injury won't change Maple Leafs plans

Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There are three days remaining until the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline (Monday, 3 p.m. ET). The Toronto Maple Leafs will not alter their course despite an injury to a key player, the New York Rangers continued to be sellers Thursday and Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy is on the same page as team president Cam Neely when it comes to making a trade.
Here's a look around the League at the latest deadline doings:

Toronto Maple Leafs

Don't expect the injury to forward Auston Matthews to impact what the Toronto Maple Leafs do at the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline.
Coach Mike Babcock said as much Friday after announcing that
Matthews is day to day because of a shoulder injury
sustained during a 4-3 shootout victory against the New York Islanders on Thursday.
Matthews, a center, leads the Maple Leafs in goals (28) and points (50) in 53 games.
In his absence, the Leafs will have to re-work their depth chart at center. Fortunately, they have eight players on their roster that have significant experience playing center, even if they play primarily on the wing at present. William Nylander was the top-line center at practice Friday and will get the first shot at that position against the Boston Bruins at Air Canada Centre on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN, NESN, NHL.TV).
"There's no tree out there, and the other thing is it's called 'trade,'" Babcock said when asked about adding depth at center. "It's not like Christmas where someone drops off gifts; it's not like that. You've got to give something to get something.
"If we can make a deal that's going to help our team, we're going to make that deal. That can be short-term and long-term. We're not going to do anything foolish, I know that for sure, but you're always looking for opportunities to improve your hockey club."
Toronto (38-20-5) is third in the Atlantic Division, one point behind second-place Boston, which has five games in hand, and four points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning, which has two games in hand. They are 16 points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

New York Rangers

The Rangers have been busy ahead of the deadline and may be even busier at the 2018 NHL Draft.
The Rangers' latest move
saw them trade
forward Michael Grabner to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman prospect Yegor Rykov and a second-round pick in the 2018 draft. It was the first trade between the Metropolitan Division rivals since New Jersey entered the NHL in 1982-83.
And the Rangers likely aren't done. Forward Rick Nash, who, like Grabner, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, is expected to be traded before the deadline. Nash did not play in the Rangers' 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday and will not play against the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden on Friday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG, FS-N+, NHL.TV).
The Rangers (27-29-5, 59 points) are six points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with three teams ahead of them. The Rangers, who earlier this month told fans in a letter they were looking to the future and likely would trade away "familiar faces, guys we all care about and respect,"
traded defenseman
Nick Holden to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 20 for a third-round pick in the 2018 Draft and 24-year-old minor-league defenseman Rob O'Gara.
The Rangers have eight picks in the 2018 Draft; one in the first round, two in the second round, two in the third round and one each in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.

Boston Bruins

Coach Bruce Cassidy is a firm believer in team chemistry and he doesn't want to take a chance in disrupting it with a trade.
"I think it's been factored into conversations between me and [general manager] Donny [Sweeney] that we have a group with some real togetherness there this season," Cassidy said Thursday, according to NBC Sports Boston. "At the end of the day, if you can add and make your team better then you always have to look at it, and Donny is looking at that right now.
"Adding [Nick] Holden [for a prospect and a draft pick], I think he's done that and we've added some more depth. But after that I do worry about if we subtract somebody from the room. If you're adding and you're not subtracting, i.e. future assets, then as a coach you always prefer to go that way. But Donny will do what's best and as a coaching staff we'll take it from there so to speak. But there is a good chemistry with that group ... a very good chemistry in that locker room."
The Bruins (37-13-8, 82 points) are in second place in the Atlantic Division, three points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning.

Cassidy's words echo those of Bruins president Cam Neely, who last week said the makeup of the team was a key factor in any trade discussion.
"It's a great group of guys, it really is," Neely said. "They're all pulling on the same rope. The chemistry seems to be really strong right now. It's another thing we talk about, is the chemistry of this group. Historically you've seen things happen at the deadline where maybe teams after the fact say, 'We made too many moves and it disrupted the chemistry.' So that's something we're cautious about."