Despite the losing result on Monday vs. Detroit, the Maple Leafs seek to build on the many positives of their five-on-five process when they host a Nashville Predators team that’s off to a 2-0-1 start to the season (7:00 p.m. EST, TSN4).
Game Day Quotes
Predators head coach Andrew Brunette on his team’s faster start this season compared to last:
The expectations that were so big around us last year, starting on July 1. We just weren’t able to fulfill them. We got away from it; we were looking for results and forgot about the process. This year, we are trying to reverse that. We are worried about the process first, and the results will follow.
When you win one early, it always takes pressure off, especially early in the year. There aren’t as many expectations for this group, and I think they’re embracing that kind of attitude and the identity they want. They’ve been bringing it every night.
We are building it. We are not perfect. [Yesterday in Ottawa] was a really good step toward what we can be in the third period. I’m glad the guys feel good about it.
Brunette on the Predators’ process of trying to regroup over the offseason after a really tough 2024-25 season:
It was a lot of decompressing and a lot of hard looks at myself. I think our group looked at themselves hard.
We really developed a better communication partnership with the veteran guys, explaining where we are, where we want to be, and how we want to do it. It was through a lot of constant communication through the summer that we were able to build a plan that everyone believed in, and it was both of our ideas.
We are trying to implement it. It is going to be hard — coming in, we know it’s not easy — but we are trying to get better every day.
Brunette on his team winning in Ottawa yesterday despite a 0-for-6 day on the power play:
We’ve been grinding. It’s been a little bit greasy. I like a lot of parts of our game. It got away from us a little bit in the second period (in Ottawa), when we gave up some free offense. The mindset right now is no free offense. In the third period, we got much better at putting pucks into areas.
When we get to our game, we are a good team. We just have to get to it consistently.
Tonight, we’re looking for more of what we brought in the first three games of the year, especially in the third period against Ottawa. It was a really good road game and a really good mindset.
Craig Berube on the challenge presented by the Predators:
They’re a good, dynamic, offensive team. They’re aggressive. Josi drives a lot of their play and is a great defenseman. He is up in the play a lot and is dangerous. They also have some good forwards — O’Reilly, Forsberg, Marchessault, Stamkos. They’ve got good players and are playing pretty well right now.
It will be a hard game, for sure, but our guys are ready for the challenge. The last game showed how we can play and need to play. That is really good, positive energy coming into tonight’s game.
Berube on goaltender Cayden Primeau’s first start as a Leaf:
Great work ethic in practice. He has looked really good in practice — very comfortable and happy to be here. All I can go off of is practice right now, and we’ve liked him in practice. His work ethic has been excellent, and he’s done a good job.
He is in a good spot. I wanted to get him in there tonight.
Berube on sticking with the Maccelli-Tavares-Nylander line for a second consecutive game:
I like a lot of the stuff that line did with Maccelli. He makes some really sneaky plays in the offensive zone. We just have to stick with it and see how it turns out. I don’t want to just break it up already. I want to try to stick with it here and get that line going.
John Tavares on the start to the season for his line:
I liked our first game. In Detroit, we may not have generated as much as we wanted to. Things changed up with Matias (Maccelli) up there last night. We did some good things. Obviously, things got kind of mixed up as the game went on.
There are definitely a lot of areas to get better at, but there have been some good things. Maybe we haven’t generated as many high-end looks as we can sometimes, but sometimes, that is the way the game is.
You have to grind, work through it, and continue to check like Chief talks about. It is amazing how things start to turn, and all of a sudden, you get a little more time and space and get into good areas of the ice.
We need to continue to do that, get on the forecheck, earn pucks back, and get second and third looks.
Tavares on William Nylander’s ability to respond when he’s challenged to be better by the coaching staff:
I have always said that is why I think Willy does tremendously well in this market. More than anyone, he will look himself in the mirror and know that he can do more and play better.
He is one of the best in the league. We are lucky to have him. We know what he is capable of and his ability to respond, not only when he is challenged by anyone in our locker room or the coaching staff, but by himself, and the expectation and standard he has set to be great every night.
He responds really well.
Tavares on Calle Jarnkrok’s hot start offensively (three goals in three games):
It is great for us, the contributions we’re getting offensively from a lot of guys.
Calle has that ability. He has shown it over his career. It was a challenging year for him last year with what he went through physically, the time away, and having to get better. He’s come in healthy, had a great camp, and is impacting us here.
We have had great contributions from him and other guys offensively that have put us in good spots to win games. It paid off for us the first night. We just have to close things out and play the full 60.
Tavares on Easton Cowan’s NHL debut:
I think you see his hockey IQ, his ability to make plays, and to see things that maybe not everyone can see, with his ability to find the open man and put the puck in good spots.
He is thinking one or two steps ahead with the way you are being defended or checked, in order to make plays that lead to puck possession and scoring chances.
I thought he looked really solid and comfortable. He will only get better. There is no doubt that he is going to be a very good player.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#23 Matthew Knies – #34 Auston Matthews – #53 Easton Cowan
#63 Matias Maccelli – #91 John Tavares – #88 William Nylander
#74 Bobby McMann – #11 Max Domi – #89 Nick Robertson
#81 Dakota Joshua – #55 Nicolas Roy – #19 Calle Jarnkrok
Defensemen
#22 Jake McCabe – #8 Chris Tanev
#44 Morgan Rielly – #25 Brandon Carlo
#2 Simon Benoit – #95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Goaltenders
Starter: #30 Cayden Primeau
#41 Anthony Stolarz
Extras: Philippe Myers, Sammy Blais
Injured: Scott Laughton (week-to-week, LBI), Steven Lorentz (day-to-day, UBI)
Out: Joseph Woll (personal)
Nashville Predators Projected Lines
Forwards
#9 Filip Forsberg – #90 Ryan O’Reilly – #25 Joakim Kemell
#91 Steven Stamkos – #40 Fedor Svechkov – #77 Luke Evangelista
#58 Michael Bunting – #56 Erik Haula – #81 Jonathan Marchessault
#36 Cole Smith – #47 Michael McCarron – #17 Tyson Jost
Defensemen
#83 Adam Wilsby – #59 Roman Josi
#76 Brady Skjei – #48 Nick Perbix
#24 Spencer Stastney – #20 Justin Barron
Goaltenders
Starter: #29 Justus Annunen
#74 Juuse Saros
