Puck drop: 7:00 p.m. EST | TV: Sportsnet | Radio: TSN1050 | Location: Detroit, MI
Eagerly awaiting meaningful games next week, the Leafs have some roster decisions left to make as they ice a mostly AHL lineup tonight in Detroit.
Most of the focus will be on the back end, where Connor Carrick has taken a back seat to Igor Ozhiganov in training camp and Travis Dermott seems to have solidified his spot on the left side over Calle Rosen. The question now turns to who’s earned the seventh spot and first callup rights.
Rosen, who was paired with Ozighanov for a chunk of preseason after a stellar playoffs with the Marlies, would love to have a good game tonight and remain a competent puck moving option in case of injuries. Carrick, after plenty of time in an NHL role the last few years, seems to have put himself in a position where he is considered movable by the club. Still, preseason is a tough time to judge certain players, and Carrick has shown positive results in a sheltered role and could still be a useful right handed depth option to have around.
Trevor Moore, Pierre Engvall, Carl Grundstrom, and Dmytro Timashov — for anyone who watches the Marlies or follows the Leafs system — are developing into NHL call up candidates for the years to come, as they move into or continue big roles with the Marlies. Babcock threw Moore in with Tavares briefly with Hyman injured, mentioning that he also considered Timashov there. Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to watch how theses wingers stack up in the system and if any of them make the jump in the next year or two, especially with the Leafs relatively shallower left wing depth and lack of major contractual commitments at the position.
Game Day Quotes
Babcock on the thought behind giving Marner a PK role:
The biggest thing is, we could’ve done it a lot earlier. But I believe in life things come on an earned basis. I don’t think you just give kids stuff. They’ve got to earn it — and that’s in all things. So if they earn it, they appreciate it more and they end up doing a better job. The other thing about it is he has lots to learn in other areas, and on his regular shift and his powerplay before he did this. So, what I’ve found over time is, if you don’t have any detail in practice by doing it, then how do you do it in the game? He’s working on the powerplay all the time, so that’s part of it.
Babcock on Gauthier, who is the only player on the roster playing in both the team’s last two preseason games:
You hope he’s ready to go. He looks good. Real games and real bullets start flying right away here and then we’ll see how we all do. Exhibition to me is not a great indicator of the way your team’s going to play. We’ve just got to be ready for Montreal. It’s going to be a hard game. You know, what’s interesting is, it doesn’t matter how much skill you have, the game is usually 2-1 or 3-2. It’s very hard. We had the worst team in organized hockey (in 2015-16) and we were fine until Christmas — If you stand in the right spots and work hard, you can be in every game.
Babcock on if Leivo looks like a fit beside beside Kadri:
I don’t know, we’re just going to keep watching. It looks to me like that’s where they’re starting the season but — you just go day to day and adjust accordingly.
Babcock on when cuts will come:
We’ll know what’s going on by the end of the day, I’d assume.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#38 Colin Greening – #33 Frederik Gauthier – #47 Pierre Engvall
#58 Emerson Clark – #77 Adam Brooks – #42 Trevor Moore
#41 Dmytro Timashov – #36 Josh Jooris – #39 Rich Clune
#20 Carl Grundstrom – #15 Adam Cracknell – #59 Jeremy Bracco
Defensemen
#52 Martin Marincin – #8 Connor Carrick
#48 Calle Rosen – #54 Justin Holl
#55 Andreas Borgman – #37 Vincent LoVerde
Goaltenders
#35 Curtis McElhinney
#40 Garret Sparks
Detroit Red Wings Projected Lines
Forwards
Zadina – Jokkinen – Frk
Svechnikov – Glendening – Helm
Smith – Ehn – Puempel
Pope – Turgeon – Witkowski
Defensemen
DeKesyer – Hronek
Hicketts – McIlrath
Sulak – Saarijarvi
Goaltenders
Jonathan Bernier
Patrik Rybar
