Toronto Maple Leafs (28-20-13, 15th in NHL) vs. San Jose Sharks (36-18-7, 7th in NHL)
Puck drop: 10:30 p.m. EST
Arena: SAP Center
Watch: Sportsnet Ontario
Rewarded by management for their work through 61 games with the addition of Brian Boyle via trade yesterday, the Maple Leafs will have their full complement up front as they enter a tough matchup against the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks to kick off their California road trip. Boyle will make his Leafs debut between Josh Leivo and Matt Martin on the fourth line — and is also expected to feature on the penalty kill and the powerplay — while Mitch Marner and Tyler Bozak will make their return to the lineup alongside linemate James van Riemsdyk.
The Leafs enter the game with a slender hold on the second wildcard spot (one point up on Florida, even on games) and one point behind the Bruins for the third divisional playoff spot, with Florida (vs. Hurricanes) and Boston (vs. Arizona) also in action tonight.
Matchup Stats
Statistics courtesy of SportingCharts.com
| Stat | Tor | SJ |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 69 | 79 |
| Record % | 0.566 | 0.648 |
| Home Winning % | 0.581 | 0.69 |
| Away Winning % | 0.535 | 0.583 |
| Shootout Winning % | 0.125 | 0.667 |
| Goal Differential Per Game | 0.21 | 0.39 |
| Shot Differential Per Game | 0.34 | 2.72 |
| Hits Per Game | 24.7 | 19 |
| PIM Per Game | 10.2 | 7.6 |
| Opponent PIM Per Game | 10.4 | 8.5 |
| Goals Per Game | 3.08 | 2.75 |
| Even Strength Goals Per Game | 2.31 | 2.15 |
| Power Play Goals Per Game | 0.69 | 0.54 |
| Shots Per Game | 32.9 | 30.4 |
| Shots Per Goal | 10.7 | 11 |
| Team Shooting % | 0.094 | 0.091 |
| Power Play % | 0.228 | 0.176 |
| Goals Against Per Game | 2.87 | 2.36 |
| ES Goals Against Per Game | 2.26 | 1.87 |
| PP Goals Against Per Game | 0.54 | 0.46 |
| Shots Against Per Game | 32.52 | 27.69 |
| Shots Against Per Goal | 11.34 | 11.73 |
| Opp. Team Shooting % | 0.088 | 0.085 |
| Penalty Kill % | 0.833 | 0.818 |
| Save % | 0.912 | 0.915 |
| Goals Against Average | 2.82 | 2.34 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 3 |
| Opponent Save % | 0.906 | 0.909 |
| Opponent Goals Against Average | 3.03 | 2.73 |
| Opponent Shutouts | 2 | 4 |
Who’s Hot
- Auston Matthews: 10 points (five goals, five assists) in last seven games
- Jake Gardiner: seven points (two goals, five assists) during four-game points streak
- William Nylander: seven points (three goals, four assists) in last seven games
- Brent Burns: eight points (five goals, three assists) during five-game points streak
- Patrick Marleau: 15 points (10 goals, five assists) in last 14 games
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
Leo Komarov – Nazem Kadri – Connor Brown
Zach Hyman – Auston Matthews – William Nylander
James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Mitchell Marner
Matt Martin – Brian Boyle – Josh Leivo
Defencemen
Morgan Rielly – Nikita Zaitsev
Jake Gardiner – Alexey Marchenko
Matt Hunwick – Roman Polak
Goaltenders
Starter: Frederik Andersen (Confirmed)
Backup: Curtis McElhinney
Scratched: Ben Smith, Martin Marincin, Nikita Soshnikov
Injured: Connor Carrick (upper body)
San Jose Sharks Projected Lines
Forwards
Kevin Labanc – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Mikkel Boedker
Tomas Hertl – Chris Tierney – Joel Ward
Marcus Sorensen – Micheal Haley – Melker Karlsson
Defencemen
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko
Goaltenders
Starter: Martin Jones (Confirmed)
Backup: Aaron Dell
Scratched: None
Injured: Joonas Donskoi (upper body), Dylan DeMelo (broken wrist)
Morning Skate: Mike Babcock
Elaborate, if you could, on the size and experience that Brian Boyle brings to your lineup?
Mike Babcock: I mean, obviously, we’re excited. Lou thought that our group had earned the right for us to help him. We basically talked about what we used to do in Detroit and in New Jersey. When the group did a good enough job, you tried to help them out. We feel this gives us a good opportunity to improve our team and give us more depth and obviously more experience. So it’s a positive thing.
How do you see him slotting into the lineup, Mike?
Babcock: He’s going to start with Marty on the fourth line for us, but whether we play him on the wing… he’s going to penalty kill for us, take faceoffs, probably play a little bit on the powerplay. We’re just going to figure it out over time as time goes. There won’t be a problem for him getting ice time. It’s just figuring it out and how it works for the group. The big thing about it is, the more good players you have, the more internal pressure from one another because you’ve got guys to take jobs. I think that’s a real positive thing on a good group and it leads to internal accountability, which you need to have success.
He’s got a reputation as a good person in the room, too.
Babcock: That’s a huge part of this, obviously. But also, in the last four or five years — if I’m not mistaken — he’s been in a lot of big games down the stretch at playoff time. When you look at our room, we don’t have [that]. We felt that was important. We feel we’ve got a lot of young people that can learn a lot from good pros. I know Lou felt that the experience he had in the past in New Jersey — they had a lot of that, and it was the same in Detroit. We need some of that here, so that’s what we did.
The defensive zone faceoffs a big part of it?
Babcock: That’s a huge part, too. I mean, we’re dead last in the NHL in that area. He’s a man who can do that and be comfortable. The other thing is it does is it gives you… you can flat out be on the road and your fourth line on the ice and you don’t care if they bring their first line. It makes no difference.
In your experience, when your team brings in a player like this, is there a jolt in the room? Does it lift guys up?
Babcock: When you look at it, we just got Marner back, we just got Bozak back, added Brian. We’re a better team talent-wise than we were the other night, and the other night we battled hard. Here is another opportunity. San Jose’s got a good team. Should be fun.
You used to have to worry about San Jose a lot more than you do now, playing them twice. Where do you see them right now?
Babcock: I like their team. Burnsy is flat out a star. I think Patty Marleau is playing unbelievable, and Pavelski… really, really intelligent players. And then Big Joe still… I had him at 17, and now at — what is he? — 37, he acts the same. He’s full of life and energy. They’ve got a good group and they’ve added lots of young pieces around. Good goaltending. You know, the league is a battle. It’s tight for everybody. To separate yourself a lot, I think, is hard. But I think they’ve got a real good team.
24 hours now until the deadline. Are you guys still looking to add, do you think?
Babcock: I don’t think I ever tell you the truth now anyway, do I?
