With Philippe Myers and Dakota Mermis stepping in for the injured Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev, and a new mix of combinations up front, the Maple Leafs’ lineup is significantly changed as they try to get back on track against the Buffalo Sabres (7:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet Ontario).
Game Day Quotes
Matthew Knies on his new line with John Tavares and Matias Maccelli:
It’s been good. It’s new chemistry. It’s new juice. We’re trying to get things going in the offensive zone and score some more goals… We need more. We are just trying to find some new chemistry and new guys to get along with each other.
I am excited to play with Johnny and Maccelli. They’re good players. It’s going to be a fun night.
Johnny is incredible on the faceoff dot, wins puck battles, gets to the net, plays hard, and can score goals. He is an all-around player. We are pretty fortunate to have him on this team.
Maccelli makes a lot of plays and can pass the puck really well. He finds lanes. It’s a good line.
Dakota Mermis on making his season debut on a pairing with Oliver Ekman-Larsson:
It’s a little bit of a throwback. Early in my career in Arizona, he was our captain. He’s a good player and is easy to play with. He is smooth, and he talks a lot. It’s easy.
He is the same guy. He stayed true to his roots. His career speaks to that.
Philippe Myers on his readiness for his first game action of the season:
You have to try to find that balance between working hard and, at the same time, staying ready and not doing too much. If something happens, you have to be ready to go, right? I figured out what works for me last year, and I’ve been sticking to the same routine this year.
I feel good. I have been working hard in practice and trying to stay ready as best as I can. I’ve been taking it day by day and trying to bring my best effort to the rink every day. I’ve just been going from there. I’m excited and ready to go.
Myers on his past experience inside the Leafs-Sabres rivalry in Buffalo:
I am not going to lie to you; it kind of feels like a home game — at least last year. I don’t know how it is going to be tonight. The atmosphere is great. Can’t complain.
Craig Berube on his expectations for Easton Cowan in his return to the lineup:
Kind of what he did the first couple of games. He had a lot of energy. I really liked the young energy in there. He has to be managing the puck, and obviously, he is playing with two big guys who are going to be around the net and are going to be heavy. He has to make sure he does a good job with the puck and plays with energy while being responsible defensively.
Berube on adjusting to the absence of Chris Tanev and Morgan Rielly:
Well, we all have to help out and simplify our game. Buffalo is a good offensive team and a good rush team with a lot of skill. We will need guys to help out in five-man units. Simplify the game.
Lindy Ruff on pre-scouting the Leafs without Mitch Marner on the team:
He is one guy who you were always aware of when pre-scouting, with some of the connections on the power play with him and Matthews, as well as the five-on-five play. He is a good player. There is always an adjustment when a player like that goes out. I’d rather have him out!
90% of my time and my video is focused on our team. We have other coaches who focus on our pre-scout. I’m trying to get our team to a place where they’re just really consistent. We are getting closer to that.
The focus is not to spend too much time on the other team but instead spend time on our players, where we’re doing well, and what areas we need to improve.
Ruff on an early-season back-to-back against the Leafs:
I think it gets the juices flowing when you have a team right next door to you that you go head-to-head with. If one team gets a little edge in some area, it is about what you can do to be a little better, and what you can take advantage of.
You don’t get to do it on back-to-back nights very often anymore.
Ruff on his team’s three-goalie situation in net:
We have a young guy who has stepped in and played a good game for us (Ellis). Lyon has played well.
The question is: Will UPL stay healthy? We can’t answer that. We have to stay in a place where we are protecting ourselves.
We have three guys who like being around each other, but every goalie wants to play.
You have to run out every scenario and make sure that we back ourselves here. It is a good problem to have. I’d rather deal with that than not having a goalie.
I think we stay away from guessing how long we are going to do this. Let’s consider this a good problem to have right now and go game-by-game.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#74 Bobby McMann – #34 Auston Matthews – #88 William Nylander
#23 Matthew Knies – #91 John Tavares – #63 Matias Maccelli
#81 Dakota Joshua – #55 Nicolas Roy – #53 Easton Cowan
#18 Steven Lorentz – #11 Max Domi – #19 Calle Jarnkrok
Defensemen
#2 Simon Benoit – #22 Jake McCabe
#95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson –#25 Brandon Carlo
#36 Dakota Mermis– #51 Philippe Myers
Goaltenders
Starter: #41 Anthony Stolarz
#30 Cayden Primeau
Extras: Nick Robertson, Sammy Blais
Injured: Morgan Rielly (day-to-day), Chris Tanev (IR, UBI), Scott Laughton (IR, LBI)
Out: Joseph Woll (personal, rejoining the team shortly)
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lines
Forwards
#6 Zach Benson – #20 Jiri Kulich – #72 Tage Thompson
#91 Josh Doan – #71 Ryan McLeod – #89 Alex Tuch
#17 Jason Zucker – #36 Noah Ostlund – #22 Jack Quinn
#19 Peyton Krebs – #40 Tyson Kozak – #29 Beck Malenstyn
Defensemen
#26 Rasmus Dahlin – #4 Bowen Byram
#25 Owen Power – #21 Conor Timmins
#23 Mattias Samuelsson – #73 Zach Metsa
Goaltenders
Starter: #34 Alex Lyon
#92 Colten Ellis
Injured/Out: Josh Norris, Jusin Danforth, Jason Zucker, Jordan Greenway, Michael Kesselring, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Jacob Bryson
