The Toronto Maple Leafs square off against the Buffalo Sabres tonight with a trimmed down roster and one that more closely resembles an NHL team.
The Maple Leafs will look to get back in the win column tonight after back-to-back losses to the Sabres and the Montréal Canadiens.
Newly signed right-winger Brad Boyes will play on the first line with James Van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. It will be interesting to see if that line remains in tact to start the year and how it might boost Boyes’ – or whoever plays there regularly (be it Parenteau, Grabner, and so on) – stock come trade deadline. Nazem Kadri will be playing alongside unrestricted free agent signing, Shawn Mathias, and frequent linemate, Joffrey Lupul — a line that produced versus Ottawa in the preseason opener.
Maple Leafs star prospect William Nylander will be playing on a line with Connor Brown and Michael Grabner.
Rich Clune, who is on an AHL contract, will get into his second game for the Leafs. Nick Spalling will center Clune and P.A. Parenteau on the fourth line.
Babcock on adjustments tonight: "We're too light of a team in the offensive zone. Too much one & down."
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) September 29, 2015
Anyone watching this team for the past few years is shocked by this observation ( /s).
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lineup
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Buffalo Sabres Projected LineupSeptember 29th, 2015
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| van Riemsdyk | Bozak | Boyes |
| Mathias | Kadri | Lupul |
| Grabner | Nylander | Brown |
| Clune | Spaling | Parenteau |
| Left Defence | Right Defence | |
| Hunwick | Phaneuf | |
| Gardiner | Rielly | |
| Harrington | Marincin | |
| Goal: | Bernier |
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lineup
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Kane | O'Reilly | Ennis |
| Moulson | Eichel | Gionta |
| Reinhart | C. O'Reilly | Rodrigues |
| Deslauriers | Legwand | Foligno |
| Left Defence | Right Defence | |
| Donovan | Franson | |
| Colaicovo | Ristolainen | |
| Guhle | Weber | |
| Goal: | Lehner |
