Can the Maple Leafs clean up some of the sloppy execution from game one in a tired situation against NYI in the Islanders’ season opener? (7:30 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime)
Game Day Quotes
Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer on what he saw from a much-changed Leafs team that was still finding its chemistry vs. Montreal:
Listen, we’re similar. What can’t be overstated: New coaching staff, with new systems, and a shortened training camp. We are dealing with it in our end, too. We were talking this morning; it’s really hard to implement everything you want to put in over such a short time. The teams with new coaching staffs are probably paying the bill a little bit early here for that.
We are all in the same boat, and we have to make it work.
DeBoer on new Leafs head coach Jim Hiller:
I’ve always had a lot of respect for Jim. I have watched his career and have good friends in the coaching fraternity who worked with him in a bunch of different places, including back to the Island when he was there, and then into LA with DJ Smith, who speaks really highly of him and I have a tremendous amount of respect for.
Prepared. His teams have an identity. I thought he did a good job in LA. You knew, when you played against them, exactly what they were trying to do, which is probably the biggest testament to a well-coached team.
DeBoer on his early impressions of Gavin McKenna:
I haven’t seen a lot. I followed him a little bit in his draft year, but you don’t go first overall or are in that company of players unless you have elite skill.
When you are looking at the Toronto Maple Leafs, the benefit he has is that he is behind other elite, skilled guys. He is not the only guy coming in and having to do it. He is behind Willy, Matthews, Tavares, and those guys.
He has a little bit of protection there from both expectation and having to do things himself.
DeBoer on Matias Maccelli:
He has come as advertised. I saw him a lot in the West when he was in Arizona and Utah, as well as our pro scouts. What we all liked about him is that he is an offensive guy with a lot of skill, and he wants the puck. He is not skating around the ice waiting for it to get to his stick. He is working to get the puck because he wants the puck on his stick in order to make a difference and make plays.
He has been a real big help for us on the power play. I think he is going to be going forward. I can already see how his skill level translates to helping our power play.
He’s fit in really well in the room.
Maccelli on facing his former team in Toronto:
You obviously have a little extra juice. It is the first game, so everybody will have juice, but usually, during the season, when you are playing against your buddies, you want to show them what you got. It is always fun to play against the oldest buddies. You always want to beat them, too.
Jim Hiller on the challenge against the Islanders:
The first thing that jumps out at you: Schaefer, of course, and then Sorokin in net. He poses lots of problems for most shooters.
A new coach who I know pretty well, so the style of play probably has changed just a little bit. Played against him a lot over the years, so we’ll have to be ready for that.
Hiller on the areas for improvement after the opening-night loss:
Defensively, we played a pretty strong game. The majority of their chances came off some breakout turnovers from us. That’s not a defensive breakdown. That’s more of an offensive breakdown with the puck on your stick. That’s something we have to clean up because we gave a couple freebies that way.
Offensively, we just didn’t execute. We really weren’t sharp. I think the Matthews line, on three or four occasions, really moved the puck pretty well. A lot of times, we were putting it in skates, or it was bouncing on our stick. We’ll have to execute better offensively to put some more pressure on the other team.
Morgan Rielly on developing chemistry with Darren Raddysh:
It’s been great. We spend lots of time together talking about how we want to play. I think he’s done a great job since he’s gotten here, just trying to get comfortable. I think he looks great out there.
As we go along here, we’re going to look to improve and get better. We have lots of conversations about that. I think he’s done a great job.
Rielly on finding balance on the pairing, given both players’ instincts to join the offense:
It’s not hard. I think it’s just based on opportunity and just kind of based on where the puck is. I think we’re both able to kind of recognize the right spots to go. I don’t think we both want to go at the same time, but it’s not hard. It’s just based off game flow.
Rielly on a sloppy season opener after a shortened preseason:
I thought it was actually a little choppier than our last preseason game. That might be nerves. It might be playing against a stronger opponent. I’m not too sure, but two preseason games, I think, is good.
I think what happened last night was just a product of that. It was just a little bit choppier. You might still have some nerves that you’re trying to work through, some timing things with your teammates and linemates. But ultimately, each team went through the same thing. We’re back at it tonight, and I think that’s a great way to start.
Nick Paul on playing with Easton Cowan:
He hounds pucks. He’s got great skill, and that’s something that is great, especially in the O-zone. You’re on the forecheck, you know he’s always going to hound. Stick lifts, backchecking back through the F3, making it hard for them to get rushes, making them dump in or turn it over.
Ultimately, the less time you spend in the D-zone, the better. The only way you do that is by hounding pucks and backchecking hard.
Rielly on Kirill Marchenko’s debut:
I thought he was flying around and looked great, had chances. Just the way that he plays is exciting. I expect him to be very impactful, and I thought he was outstanding.
It’s cool to get some new blood. He was obviously very excited. When you get a guy like that in the room, it just kind of lifts up the whole group.
Paul on he and Darren Raddysh adjusting to playing in their hometown environment:
It’s hard to speak for how he’s feeling, but obviously, I think it’s a little bit of adjustment going through camp. Like we said, it’s just continuing to build and continue to get better and continue to get more comfortable.
Maple Leafs vs. Islanders: By the Numbers
Swipe the table to compare teams.| Category | Maple Leafs | Islanders |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 32–36–14 [28th] | 43–34–5 [19th] |
| Points percentage | .476 [28th] | .555 [19th] |
| Goals for | 252 [16th] | 229 [T-25th] |
| Goals against | 295 [31st] | 236 [5th] |
| Home record | 18–15–8 [T-26th] | 22–17–2 [T-22nd] |
| Away record | 14–21–6 [31st] | 21–17–3 [T-14th] |
| 5v5 shot attempts % | 45.5% [32nd] | 49.8% [18th] |
| 5v5 goals for % | 45.2% [28th] | 47.7% [21st] |
| 5v5 PDO | 100.2 | 99.4 |
| Power play | 21.3% [15th] | 16.5% [30th] |
| Penalty kill | 81.2% [8th] | 80.8% [10th] |
| Head-to-head record | 0–2–1 | 3–0–0 |
| Leading scorers · Goals–Assists–Points | ||
| Scorer #1 | William Nylander30–49–79 | Mathew Barzal19–53–72 |
| Scorer #2 | John Tavares31–40–71 | Matthew Schaefer23–36–59 |
| Scorer #3 | Auston Matthews27–26–53 | Bo Horvat31–26–57 |
Maple Leafs Projected Lines* (*unconfirmed with no morning skate)
Select a player name to view their card (must be on active NHL roster).
Forwards
| Line | Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 86Kirill Marchenko | 34Auston Matthews | 96Jack Roslovic |
| 2 | 92Gavin McKenna | 91John Tavares | 88William Nylander |
| 3 | 53Easton Cowan | 20Nick Paul | 15Colton Sissons |
| 4 | 29Bo Groulx | 73Teddy Blueger | 24Brandon Duhaime |
| Scratch | 19Zack MacEwen |
Defense
| Pair | Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22Jake McCabe | 8Chris Tanev |
| 2 | 44Morgan Rielly | 43Darren Raddysh |
| 3 | 95Oliver Ekman-Larsson | 28Troy Stecher |
| Scratch | 3Nick Blankenburg |
Goaltenders
| 41Anthony Stolarz | Starter |
| 72Sergei Bobrovsky | Backup |
Injuries Or Other Absences
| Player | Status |
|---|---|
| 81Dakota Joshua | Week-to-week injury |
| 11Max Domi | Long-term Injury |
Islanders Projected Lines
Forwards
| Line | Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 92Simon HolmstromHolmstrom | 14Bo HorvatHorvat | 21Kyle PalmieriPalmieri |
| 2 | 63Matias MaccelliMaccelli | 64Calum RitchieRitchie | 10Brayden SchennSchenn |
| 3 | 38Victor EklundEklund | 44Jean-Gabriel PageauPageau | 51Emil HeinemanHeineman |
| 4 | 81Ondrej PalatPalat | 53Casey CizikasCizikas | 11Anthony DuclairDuclair |
Defense
| Pair | Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3Adam PelechPelech | 48Matthew SchaeferSchaefer |
| 2 | 28Alexander RomanovRomanov | 6Ryan PulockPulock |
| 3 | 8Logan StanleyStanley | 77Tony DeAngeloDeAngelo |
Goaltenders
| 30Ilya SorokinSorokin | Starter |
| 40Semyon VarlamovVarlamov | Backup |
Extras
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| 32Kyle MacLeanMacLean | Forward |
| 4Matthew KesselKessel | Defense |
| 24Scott MayfieldMayfield | Defense |
Injuries Or Other Absences
| Player | Status |
|---|---|
| 13Mathew BarzalBarzal | Injured reserve |
