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Maple Leafs prospect Donaghey on injury, Babcock and a house divided

Quebec Remparts defenceman Cody Donaghey.
Quebec Remparts defenceman Cody Donaghey.

QUEBEC CITY— It’s been a tough season for Cody Donaghey. On Dec. 10 the Quebec Remparts defenceman was hit by Moncton Wildcats forward Will Smith and tore both his ACL and his MCL. He underwent knee surgery in early January and has been sidelined ever since.

Missing the Remparts playoff run to the QMJHL final was bad enough, but missing out on the Memorial Cup has been even worse.

"It's pretty sour sitting in the stands and watching the boys play, but I'm still going to cheer them on,” said the 19-year-old.

But it’s not all bad news. Donaghey, who signed a three-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent last summer, has been progressing well with his rehabilitation after having both his ligaments repaired.

"I'm still ahead of schedule," said the blueliner. "Obviously I would have loved to have played in the Memorial Cup, but Toronto didn't want to take the risk. They're obviously looking for the long term.”

He's back on the ice and in the gym four or five days a week and has been spending a lot of time in Toronto working diligently with Leafs skating guru Barb Underhill.

“The hardest thing to get back is the explosiveness in your skating,” said Donaghey who spent almost five months off the ice. “It’s just the stops and starts from the line, that’s tough. Once I get that back then I think contact will come and I’ll be closer to getting in the lineup again.”

Having a front row seat for the action in Toronto, means Donaghey – a lifelong Leafs fan – has been able to watch his NHL team’s rebuild closely. That means everything from firing coaches and scouts to the high-profile hiring of former Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, which shook the hockey world this week.

“They’ve been cleaning house there pretty good for sure,” said Donaghey. “They’re definitely invested in the rebuild. The news with Mike Babcock there – that’s something else, he’s the best coach in the world and I’m really looking forward to meeting him.”

It’s also caused some grief back at home in his native St. John’s, Nfld., considering his older brother Connor, 21, a former QMJHLer with Saint John, is a huge Red Wings fan.

“He’s a die-hard Detroit fan and he’s super jealous,” said Donaghey. “There are a lot of Red Wings fans at home too (in St. John’s) and a lot in my family as well – they’re all die-hard Red Wings fans.

“We’ve had some wars over the years that’s for sure.”

Toronto Maple Leafs new head coach Mike Babcock, right, speaks to reporters with team president Brendan Shanahan during an NHL hockey press conference in Toronto, Thursday, May 21, 2015. Babcock spent the last 10 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2008. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Toronto Maple Leafs new head coach Mike Babcock, right, speaks to reporters with team president Brendan Shanahan during an NHL hockey press conference in Toronto, Thursday, May 21, 2015. Babcock spent the last 10 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2008. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Still, his older brother can’t be too upset at the prospect of having his younger brother one day learning from Babcock, a man many consider the best coach currently in the game.

“It’s kind of bittersweet I guess,” said Donaghey with a big laugh. “He loves Detroit that much; he was sad to see (Babcock) go but he’s happy for me that I’ll be around the best in the world. So that’s pretty cool.”

Donaghey said it was also a bit surreal, as a long-time member of Leafs Nation – and a prospect - to be watching the press conference with Babcock and team president Brendan Shanahan.

“When it’s your childhood team it’s not really your reality,” said the defenceman. “Then I realize that I’m actually affected by all of this and it kind of involves me, you have to take a step back. It’s insane. . . it really is.”

In the meantime, Donaghey isn’t sure whether or not he’ll be able to participate in the Leafs’ summer development camp. He’ll get a better idea once he meets with team doctors for another assessment on his knee in the coming weeks. The plan, however, is still to be back in shape and game-ready for the main camp at the end of summer.

He’ll also be preparing for what will likely be his final QMJHL season with the Halifax Mooseheads. Donaghey was traded by the Remparts to the Mooseheads in a deal to bring goaltender Zach Fucale and defenceman Matt Murphy to Quebec. The deal, however, won’t come to fruition until September, despite the fact it’s widely known. That’s made it a little strange now that he’s back around his Remparts teammates.

“It’s a little weird,” admits Donaghey. “Even since Christmas it’s been a little bit awkward – especially with the injury – it wouldn’t have been awkward if I was playing. The fact that I know I’m traded and I know I’m never going to play for the (Remparts) again, it is a little weird.”

Sunaya Sapurji is the Junior Hockey Editor at Yahoo! Sports.
Email: sunaya@yahoo-inc.com | Twitter @Sunayas