The Columbus Blue Jackets make their return to the rink for the first time this week in a road matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gametime is 7pm from the Scotiabank Arena.
This is the first meeting in the regular season for the teams of three. All three games between the two occur between tonight and December 29. This is the only game of the three in Toronto this season.
The Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs prospects played each other in September during the Traverse City tournament, which Columbus won that game 7-3, only showing the strength of their prospect pool.
The Leafs have been hot this month, being 3-0-2 in the final month of the calendar year. They have earned points in every game they have played. In all five games, they have scored three or more goals. Toronto is coming off a 7-3 win over the top dogs in the Metropolitan Division — the New York Rangers — on Tuesday.
The Jackets are 2-3-1 in the month of December so far. Columbus is coming off the chaotic loss to Florida and are without Erik Gudbranson this game. Their last road win is November 24 to the New Jersey Devils.
The Maple Leafs have had a slew of changes to the management staff and surround roster players, but nothing to the so called “core four… players of the roster.
Kyle Dubas was a lame duck general manager looking for more power while in office with Toronto; thst failed to happen with the MLSE board and Brendan Shanahan unified under the same plan. Dubas took his ball and several others with him to Pittsburgh. Jason Spezza left his post as assistant to Dubas in Toronto to be assistant general manger in Pittsburgh.
Assistant coach Spencer Carberry is now the head coach of the Washington Capitals.
Shanahan brought in Brad Treliving to be the newest general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, after spending the last nine years with the Calgary Flames.
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Tyler Bertuzzi joined kn a one year deal.
Max Domi follows his father’s legendary moments in Toronto. Blue Jackets legend first and foremost. What a class act and great player.
Martin Jones signed to be the third goalie.
Simon Benoit joined after being left unqualified.
Noah Gregor was a late PTO add.
Dylan Gambrell joined from Ottawa.
Ex-Sen Max Lajoie also inked with the Leafs.
William Lagesson signed a two way deal.
Ryan Reaves signed a confusing three year one way deal at 35+.
John Klingberg signed hoping to rebound off a rough last season with the Ducks and Wild.
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Other Dubas pickups last season including Noel Accari and Radim Zohorna also went to the Pens.
Michael Bunting was ran out of town and signed with Carolina.
Goalie Erik Kallgren signed with New Jersey.
Defender Erik Gustafsson joined the New York Rangers.
Alex Kerfoot jumped on the western wagon to Ariozna.
Ryan O’Reilly did not want to be around the media and headed to the Nashville Predators with Luke Schenn signing first.
Victor Mete joined the Philadelphia Flyers.
Sam Lafferty was traded to the Vancouver Canucks to get Toronto salary compliant.
Semyon Der-Arguchintsev headed home to the KHL.
Top prospect Rodion Amirov tragically passed away from cancer over the summer.
Carl Dahlstrom headed home to Sweeden.
Prospects Josh Pilar, Filip Kral, and Kalle Loponen were left unsigned.
The Leafs also are getting a full season out of Matthew Knies and had rookie Easton Cowan make the team out of rookie camp. Cowan has since gone back to junior.
Toronto has been dealing with a goaltending injury bug, and Martin Jones is the current starter. They have already lost John Klingberg for the season due to his hip. Matt Murray may never play again. Mark Giordano, Joseph Woll, Timothy Liljegren, and Matthew Knies are all also out.
Toronto and Columbus both weirdly have the same number of regulation wins - 8.
If Columbus wins, they will be the last team in the east to have 10 win on the season. Three teams have yet to do it in the west.
The Blue Jackets get Daniil Tarasov back after looking strong over the weekend. They do lose Gudbranson in the lousy suspension call from the league. Still no Jenner for a while; same for Severson, Boqvist and Roslovic.
Columbus also has Adam Fantilli in as the hometown boy; and the Matthews/Laine rivalry coming back to life.
Expect Tarasov v Jones
Projected Lineups
Toronto Maple Leafs
Noah Gregor—Auston Matthews—Mitch Marner Tyler Bertuzzi—John Tavares—William Nylander Nicolas Robertson—Max Domi—Calle Jarnkrok Bobby McMann—David Kampf—Ryan Reaves
Morgan Reilly—TJ Brodie Jake McCabe— William Lagesson Simon Benoit—Connor Timmins
Martin Jones Ilya Samsonov
Injured — Matt Murray, John Klingberg, Timmothy Liljegren, Mark Giordano, Matthew Knies, Joseph Woll
Columbus Blue Jackets
Johnny Gaudreau—Adam Fantilli—Patrik Laine Yegor Chinakov—Dmitri Voronkov—Kirill Marchenko Kent Johnson—Cole Sillinger—Emil Bemstrom Alexandre Texier—Sean Kuraly—Mathieu Olivier
Zach Werenski—Nick Blankenburg Ivan Provorov—Andrew Peeke Jake Bean—David Jiricek
Daniil Tarasov Spencer Martin
Scratched — bone Suspended — Erik Gubdranson Injured — Boone Jenner, Damon Severson, Jack Roslovic, Adam Boqvist
Players to Watch
Toronto — Auston Matthews — the prime drinking soon to be richest NHL player had a strong push to start season and is already over 20 goals into the season.
Columbus — Patrik Laine — call back to 2016. Sure, lots of injuries have slowed him the past couple of seasons, but his talent is still there for the Fortnite Finn.
Predicted Final Scores
TOR - 4
CBJ - 3
Drop your predictions. More is coming….