The Maple Leafs, who are winless in their last three games vs. Chicago, look to avoid the trap game this time around against a basement-dwelling and tired Blackhawks team featuring four former Leafs players (7:30 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime).
Game Day Quotes
Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson on the differences in the Maple Leafs‘ play under Craig Berube:
I have seen Toronto play a few times. They are definitely playing hard and very structured. That is what he is trying to implement there.
They have the talent. They don’t need to take chances. When they get their opportunities, they are going to score on the power play or on their odd-man rushes.
They don’t have to open it up wide open. That is the way they played in the past a little bit. It only goes so far. Teams start to check you tight. You don’t get those opportunities, and you give up more on the defensive side.
We have to be ready for a hard-work game against a team that has high-end skill.
Richardson on his team’s 2-0 record versus the Leafs last season:
We have to be confident. It was in the past — it was last year — but a lot of the same guys are here and there. We have to start playing the right way and realize we won those two games by doing that the whole game and frustrating the other team. That is going to be the recipe for success tonight.
Richardson on Tyler Bertuzzi joining the Blackhawks’ top line with Taylor Hall and Connor Bedard tonight:
There is always that little bit of extra energy when you’re playing against [an old team]. I think Tyler has been playing really well lately. He is doing a great job on the power play and is around the net always. That is going to be good for Taylor and Connor tonight to get moving in the offensive zone, knowing they have the net-front presence at all times.
Getting them out there early and establishing some early good shifts for our team would be a real plus for our team.
Richardson on the areas for improvement for his team’s offense at 5v5:
It’s easy to check when you’re still. Toronto does a good job in the offensive zone if you don’t kill the play early. They start what we call the “circus offense” — they start switching and moving all over the place. It is hard to defend.
We do it well at times, and we have to do it more often than not tonight. If we can do it more to them than them to us, we are going to have a chance at a good win on the road.
Chris Tanev on the loss of Jake Mccabe for tonight’s game and pairing up with Oliver Ekman-Larsson in McCabe’s absence:
Big loss. Really big part of our team on and off the ice. We all hope he is doing well and is back as soon as possible.
(OEL and I) need to play similar roles, work hard for each other, have good sticks, play good defense, and break pucks out.
[OEL] is a very smart player with a very good stick who moves the puck incredibly well. We will be able to read off of each other and make sure we are talking throughout the game to see if we need to make any adjustments to each other.
He is a world-class player. It should go well. We will see what happens.
Tanev on the shutdown challenge Connor Bedard presents:
Incredibly skilled. Incredible shot… [Matthews and Bedard] both like to pull it and change the lane quite a bit. It is hard to pick up for goalies. There is a lot of deception in it, for sure.
I have the opportunity to work out with [Bedard] a bunch in the summer. He comes and skates with us. I know how good of a player he is and how skilled he is. He is a world-class talent, and they are playing well of late. We have to be ready to go tonight.
Philippe Myers on jumping into the lineup after appearing in just one game (Oct. 26 vs. BOS) so far this season:
This obviously means a lot to me. I have been patient. I’ve been trying to be a good teammate hyping up the boys, who have been playing really well. It has been fun to watch, but I am excited to get in here.
It is not easy (staying patient), but I have been around and experienced it a little bit over the years. I think I have a good mindset for it this year. I am grateful to be here and to be around the guys. I am super fired up to play tonight.
Myers on pairing up with Morgan Rielly:
He is one of the best defensemen in the league and has a lot of skill. I am going to try to give him the puck and play defense.
Craig Berube on the OEL-Tanev pair:
With us losing McCabe, I kind of put two guys together who we can use as a shutdown pair. That is what we are thinking.
Ekman-Larsson has a great stick. He skates well. He’s big and plays physical. That is what we are thinking with the pair.
Berube on the expectations for Myers in his first NHL game since Oct. 26:
He hasn’t played for a while — since the game in Boston — but he has practiced well, and he works extremely hard.
Keep it simple. He is a big guy who can move well, be physical, and defend well. He is playing with Morgan Rielly, and Morgan can move the puck. Just play your game. His game is simple. You don’t have to complicate it.
He has a good shot. Let’s use it tonight. When we get opportunities in the offensive zone, he should be ripping pucks.
Head-to-Head Stats: Maple Leafs vs. Blackhawks
In the 2024-25 regular season statistics, Toronto holds the advantage in three out of five offensive categories and five out of five defensive categories.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#23 Matthew Knies — #34 Auston Matthews — #88 William Nylander
#29 Pontus Holmberg — #91 John Tavares — #16 Mitch Marner
#89 Nick Robertson — #39 Fraser Minten — #18 Steven Lorentz
#71 Nikita Grebenkin — #24 Connor Dewar —#92 Alex Nylander
Defensemen
#95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson — #8 Chris Tanev
#44 Morgan Rielly — #51 Philippe Myers
#2 Simon Benoit — #25 Conor Timmins
Goaltenders
Starter: #41 Anthony Stolarz
#60 Joseph Woll
Extras: Marshall Rifai
Suspended: Ryan Reaves (one game remaining)
Injured (day-to-day): Jake McCabe
Injured (IR): Max Domi, Bobby McMann, Jani Hakanpää
Injured (LTIR): Calle Jarnkrok, Max Pacioretty, David Kampf
Chicago Blackhawks Projected Lines
Forwards
#71 Taylor Hall — #98 Connor Bedard — #59 Tyler Bertuzzi
#8 Ryan Donato — #23 Philipp Kurashev — #86 Teuvo Teravainen
#95 Ilya Mikheyev — #16 Jason Dickinson — #17 Nick Foligno
#77 Pat Maroon — #73 Lukas Reichel — #15 Craig Smith
Defensemen
#72 Alex Vlasic — #5 Connor Murphy
#42 Nolan Allan — #25 Alec Martinez
#78 TJ Brodie — #44 Wyatt Kaiser
Goaltenders
Starter: #40 Arvid Soderblom
#34 Petr Mrazek
Injured: Seth Jones, Laurent Brossoit
