The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the final game of a three-game homestand at Air Canada Centre on Saturday.
Mike Babcock continued to shake things up after a wanting effort against Carolina on Thursday, with a shortened practice at the MasterCard Centre on Friday and making the morning skate optional on Saturday. The Leafs will also make a few lineup changes necessitated by nagging injuries.
James van Riemsdyk, who played over 15 minutes in the 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes on Thursday, did not practice on Friday due to a lower body injury suffered earlier in the week and will not play against Philadelphia. Matt Martin, who did not return to the bench in the third period on Thursday after suffering an unspecified upper body injury, will also be scratched.
The Leafs will insert Josh Leivo into the lineup for the first time, as well as winger Kasperi Kapanen, who was recalled from the Toronto Marlies on Saturday.
Leivo took the pre-game skate on Thursday before the Leafs decided to play van Riemsdyk and took line rushes at practice with Martin and Dominic Moore on Friday. Kapanen is expected to replace Martin on that fourth line unit.
The only line that remains unchanged going into Saturday’s contest is the unit of Zack Hyman, Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Patrick Marleau and Mitch Marner are expected to skate with Tyler Bozak, while Connor Brown moves to the checking line with Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov.
Kapanen has started well for the Marlies, with three goals and no assists in six games and was a late scratch in Syracuse, where Toronto defeated the Crunch 4-2 on Friday.
Toronto opened up a roster spot by sending veteran forward Eric Fehr to the Toronto Marlies.
Fehr cleared waivers earlier in the week his demotion him clears $1.025 Million of the veteran’s $2 Million salary of the cap.
The Flyers (5-5-0) have lost two straight and currently occupy the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, the latest being a controversial 5-4 loss in Ottawa on Thursday. 2017 second overall pick Nolan Patrick will not be in the lineup for Philadelphia due to an upper body injury.
Brian Elliott (who is splitting duties with Michal Neuvirth) gets the start vs. Toronto. Elliott allowed six goals on 25 shots in a 6-2 loss to Anaheim on Tuesday.
Frederik Andersen will make his 10th start for the Leafs.
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