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The Toronto Maple Leafs traditionally have a difficult time against the Carolina Hurricanes, and that has continued in the Mike Babcock era, since the Metro Division foe is coached by Bill Peters (former Babcock assistant in Detroit) and play a very similar style to the Leafs.
Toronto takes on the Hurricanes at the PNC Arena in Raleigh on Friday with a more offensive-minded lineup after scoring one goal in each of their last two losses to Arizona and Florida.
Babcock will once again keep the M & M boys (Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner) together on their top line with Zach Hyman and Matt Martin will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season.
The Leafs practiced with William Nylander replacing Marner on a line with James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, a checking line of Leo Komarov, Nazem Kadri and Nikita Soshnikov and a fourth line of Josh Leivo, Patrick Marleau and Connor Brown, in hopes of generating a balanced attack and having multiple lines that can match up with the Canes top line of Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal and Teuvo Teravainen.
“We’re balanced on the road with four lines.” Babcock said. “I don’t control the matchups, so I can’t get mismatched in any situation with (Marleau) at center. He can play against anybody.”
With back-to-back games tonight and on Saturday against Washington at home, the Leafs will start Frederik Andersen against Carolina and will likely go with backup Curtis McElhinney at home vs. Washington.
The Caps started backup Philipp Grubauer at home against Tampa Bay on Friday, which means they will see Braden Holtby at Air Canada Centre.
Veteran Cam Ward will be between the pipes for Carolina, after starter Scott Darling made only 21 saves in a 6-1 loss to New York on Wednesday.
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Today we continue to check on the progress of the club’s prospects. This list encompasses all players who Toronto has rights to currently playing in the OHL, QMJHL, WHL, NCAA and Europe, not those playing in the NHL, AHL or ECHL.
2016 Draft
Playing for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, the 21-year-old winger began the season slow, perhaps still recovering from a broken leg suffered last season, but is now tied for third in goals (7) with the KHL club and has 13 points in 33 games.
After impressing at training camp in September, the 19-year-old Grundstrom was sent back to play a second season in the SHL.
The 2016 second round pick has five goals in 11 games for Frolunda, but suffered a knee injury during a 4-3 loss to Lulea on November 16.
According to Swedish outlet Expressen, surgery will be performed on the 19-year-old’s knee this week and could be out of action until Christmas, but if the damage is severe, his season could be over.
The 19-year-old Woll has made the majority of the starts for Boston College in his sophomore season (6-4-1, 2.45 GAA, .903 save percentage) and is expected to be chosen along with Dallas prospect Jake Oettinger by USA Hockey for the upcoming World Juniors, but it is unclear if Team USA will split the duties as they did last WJC between Woll and Tyler Parsons.
Greenway was invited to the World Junior Summer Showcase by Team USA after appearing at the Leafs rookie orientation in July, but he has not practiced or played for Wisconsin due to “personal issues”.
The 19-year-old blueliner
started practicing earlier this month but has yet to return to the lineup.
Another following the Leafs recent trend of drafting big, rangy defensemen over the last two drafts, the 6’5”, 235 lb Middleton has 12 points in 18 games with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, including two assists in a 4-1 win over Flint on Wednesday.
Bobylev left Moscow Spartak of the KHL last season and returned to the Victoria Royals, scoring nearly a point-per-game with the WHL club. This season, the 20-year-old winger was looking for a pro contract in North America, but the Leafs did not have any room to do so.
Returning to Russia, Bobylev has played three games for Ufa Salavet of the KHL, with no points and four penalty minutes.
Traded from London to Flint at the start of the OHL season, Mattinen is teammates with 2017 pick Fedor Gordeev and leads the Firebirds in defensive scoring with 14 points.
Selected 182nd overall, the 6’3”, 209 lb winger earned a promotion and played eight KHL games last season, but has split time between three lower division Russian clubs this season.
2015 Draft
The 20-year-old defenseman signed a two-year contract in Finland’s SM-Liiga after putting up 24 points for MODO (playing in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan) last season. In 22 games with HPK, Lindgren has just three points.
2014 Draft
The 6’3” 200 lb forward scored more than a point-per-game in his sophomore season at Ohio State, and is fourth in team scoring with eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 11 games. Joshua scored a goal and assist in the Buckeyes 4-2 win over Connecticut on November 11.
Vesey scored 13 goals as a junior last season at the University of Maine, but has two goals nine games into his senior season with the Black Bears. Barring a dramatic reversal of fortune, it is unlikely that the Leafs offer the 22-year-old a professional contract next summer.
After signing a two-year deal with SHL champion HV71, the Leafs 2014 seventh round pick scored a goal and three assists in eight games before fracturing his collarbone in early October. He is expected to return from the injury in January.
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