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In a homecoming of sorts for Mike Babcock, the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Red Wings for the first time in regular season action since the Leaf head coach left Detroit.

There’s been some encouraging indicators of improvement in the last three Leaf losses. While there’s no moral victories in the NHL, as Mike Babcock said after the loss the Montreal Canadiens, for a team that seemingly hasn’t played with the puck in four years, there’s been some reason for cautious optimism.

Systemic changes have the group looking more polished in their zone—specifically on the breakouts—where “to the line, but not out” isn’t the most-used phrase on broadcast. By spending less time in their own zone, the Leafs have been able to sustain possession of the puck for longer spells, giving them more opportunities to score – the actual scoring part is a work in progress – and they’ve been defending with the puck on their stick, which is a very foreign concept around these parts.

The Leafs did react in a temporarily positive manner to the last coaching change – losing a couple of hard-fought low-scoring games in which they possessed the puck more – but Peter Horachek didn’t have the credibility, nor – as an interim coach – the cache to demand a commitment to the right process despite a lack of results. The hope will be, even if the consistent results are a ways away, the Leafs continue to subscribe wholeheartedly to the Babcock program instead of reverting back to old habits. The $50 million man is going nowhere.

Babcock has kept the lineup the exact same, looking to build upon a “good loss” versus Carey Price the Montreal Canadiens, and will be looking for better games from Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf and Tyler Bozak, as well as a better start from Jonathan Bernier.

2014 first round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, Dylan Larkin, is making his NHL debut tonight, and will be playing top-line minutes next to Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. It will be the first time a teenager has made the Red Wings opening-game roster in 15 years — perhaps the first sign of a difference in approach between Babcock and his successor Jeff Blashill. As a former 15th overall selection, Larkin is also the Wings’ highest pick since drafting Martin Lapointe tenth overall in 1991, and arguably he would’ve gone much higher if the 2014 draft was redone today.


Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lineup

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Detroit Projected Lineup - Oct. 9th, 2015
Left WingCenterRight Wing
van RiemsdykKadriBoyes
MatthiasBozakLupul
KomarovHollandArcobello
WinnikSpalingParenteau
Left DefenceRight Defence
HunwickPhaneuf
MarincinRielly
GardinerHarrington
Goal: Bernier

Detroit Red Wings Projected Lineup

Left WingCenterRight Wing
AbdelkaderZetterbergLarkin
TatarRichardsNyquist
FranzenSheahanPulkkinen
MillerGlendeningFerraro
Left DefenceRight Defence
KronwallEricsson
QuinceyGreen
SmithKindl
Goal: Howard


 

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