William Nylander returns to the lineup as the Maple Leafs hope to take care of business against the 32nd-placed, 2-7-1 Calgary Flames (6:00 p.m. EST, TSN4).
Game Day Quotes
Nick Robertson on John Tavares closing in on 500 career goals:
We are kind of looking for him extra out there. When Auston was going for 70 and it was coming down to it, we were looking for him. I am sure his linemates will think about it.
What an accomplishment for him.
Flames head coach Ryan Huska on the challenge against Auston Matthews & William Nylander:
We have talked a lot about it for a long time: the focus has to be on our game. Having said that, you always have to be aware of the top players on the other side. Those are some of the elite players in the league. We have to do a job of not giving them much room on the ice tonight.
Also, similar to what we saw with the Rangers, we have to stay out of the penalty box. Oftentimes, the top players build and generate momentum from the power play.
Craig Berube on the challenge presented by the Flames:
Nothing has changed over the last couple of years with this team, in my opinion. They’re a hard-working team that competes extremely well. They do create a lot of odd-man rushes, this team. They do things quickly. Again, our team has to focus on our game and our rush defense tonight.
Let’s get to their blue line tonight. Let’s work that blue line, get pucks deep, get on the forecheck, and play that type of game. Let’s make it a difficult game. Their goalie has been extremely good over the last couple of years, so we are going to have to compete to put the puck into the net.
They’ll be fired up, like any team with Toronto guys. We always have a team that is ready to play here in Toronto, for sure.
Berube on his expectations for the McMann-Matthews-Robertson line:
Use their speed, right? That is why the line is together; it’s a fast line with a lot of speed that is very direct. That is what they need to do: use their speed. They want to play a territorial game in the offensive zone with Matthews, and Auston is a really good 200-foot player who can do a lot of different things, but I like the speed on the line, getting the puck up the ice, and getting into the offensive zone.
They’ve got a lot of speed. Use it, and be direct. Don’t change who you are as a player because you are playing with Auston Matthews. Shoot the puck when you have the chance to shoot the puck. I like the line; it’s a working line, in my opinion, with skill.
Berube on his McCabe – Benoit / OEL-Carlo / Rielly-Myers pairings on defense:
I go back to last year. Rielly and Myers were good together when they played a stretch of games together. There is familiarity with Benoit and McCabe, too. That’s how it worked out.
Huska on Nazem Kadri’s leadership:
Your team often takes on the personality of your leaders. Naz is one of our leaders. He is a fiery, competitive type of guy. When he is at his very best, I feel like the team follows suit in those categories.
With Morgan Frost there, Naz has the ability to kick it out either way to guys who have the ability to make plays. That is going to help that line, especially coming through the middle of the ice, as they try to gain zone time for us.
Berube on Nazem Kadri and his nearing 1,000-game milestone:
A very good player who adds a lot of elements to a team. He is the type of guy with whom you never know what you’re going to get. We were playing against him in the playoffs in Colorado when I was with St. Louis, and he laid a huge hit on Faulk. I know he got suspended for it, but he is capable of that kind of thing.
He is also a very good player. He can score goals and make plays. He is a gamer. He’s a hockey player, is the way I would put it. He just goes out and plays. He is a very competitive guy who has had a great career.
Flames rookie defenseman (and Markham native) Zayne Parekh on the emotions ahead of his first NHL game in Toronto:
Excited. The rink looks different from the ice level. It looks a little bit unfamiliar when I am on the ice rather than up in the stands.
I am really excited; I have a lot of friends and family coming. It should be a fun one.
Parekh on his favourite memory of attending games at the Scotiabank Arena as a kid:
It is a tough one to pinpoint. I used to come to all of the Tampa and Toronto games. I always watched Stamkos. Every time Tampa was in Toronto, I’d be here watching.
We shared season tickets with family friends. We came to a lot of games. I have a picture with JVR and Joffrey Lupul in the box level. It’s a pretty cool one.
I loved watching Naz, and now I am watching him fly around out on the ice. It’s cool to play with him now. Growing up, I always watched #43 and enjoyed seeing him fly around.
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 – #89 Nick Robertson
Defensemen
#22 Jake McCabe – #2 Simon Benoit
#95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson – #25 Brandon Carlo
#44 Morgan Rielly – #51 Philippe Myers
Goaltenders
Starter: #41 Anthony Stolarz
#30 Cayden Primeau
Extras: Samuel Blais, Joseph Woll, Dakota Mermis
Injured: Calle Jarnkrok (day-to-day), Chris Tanev (IR, UBI), Scott Laughton (IR, LBI)
Calgary Flames Projected Lines
Forwards
#10 Jonathan Huberdeau – #91 Nazem Kadri – #16 Morgan Frost
#29 Samuel Honzek – #11 Mikael Backlund – #20 Blake Coleman
#86 Joel Farabee – #47 Connor Zary – #17 Yegor Sharangovich
#70 Ryan Lomberg – #23 Justin Kirkland – #27 Matt Coronato
Defensemen
#7 Kevin Bahl – #4 Rasmus Andersson
#24 Jake Bean – #52 Mackenzie Weegar
#44 Joel Hanley – #89 Zayne Parekh
Goaltenders
Starter: #32 Dustin Wolf
#1 Devin Cooley
Injured/Out: Martin Pospisil
