The lower body injury to Matt Hunwick and his being placed on injured reserve on Monday opened up a spot on the Maple Leafs 23-man roster, which was filled on Tuesday as forward Nikita Soshnikov was recalled from the AHL Toronto Marlies.
The 23-year-old winger made an impression on head coach Mike Babcock during his brief stint at the end of last season, scoring two goals and three assists in 11 games and was considered a likely candidate to make the club, but Soshnikov suffered a lower-body injury during training camp.
“He’s an exciting player for us because he stirs the other 19 guys up on your own team. Nothing wrong with having a little energy.… Leafs coach Mike Babcock said on Tuesday morning.
The feisty forward started the AHL season without his usual level of effort and energy, scoring one goal and two assists in six games, but started to play up to expectations last weekend in back-to-back road games in Albany.
Soshnikov went through line rushes at the morning skate on the fourth line with Ben Smith and Matt Martin and will wear #26 in his debut against the Edmonton Oilers.
The contest marks the first visit to Toronto for 2015 top pick Connor McDavid as an NHLer, who was injured when the Oilers visited Air Canada Center last November. It also is the much publicized first head-to-head matchup of McDavid(the NHL’s leading scorer with 12 points) and 2016 top overall pick Auston Matthews, who led the league for much of the first month.
“I know (Matthews) pretty well, he’s a good guy,… McDavid said on Tuesday. “I get along well with him. I definitely don’t consider him a rival. I think it would probably be easier for you guys if I came here and said ‘I hate him’. He’s a good kid.…
.@OfficialGretzky , Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr on hand. Pretty good looking PP watching @AM34 & @cmcdavid97 practice pic.twitter.com/919m8t7ehf
— Gino Reda (@GinoRedaTSN) November 1, 2016
The game will attract an larger than normal audience with two of the game’s top young players, and that was symbolized by the appearance of Hall of Famers Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky at Tuesday’s morning skate.
“You have two of the premier young players in hockey, (who are) obviously the future of both organizations. Throw that in with a bunch of other kids who are playing really well, so it’s exciting for both Toronto and Edmonton.… Gretzky said. “Both those kids seem to understand their scenario and their responsibility to not only to the team and the league, but to the city and they both really young mature kids and it’s great for hockey.…
The Oilers have gotten off to an excellent start with additions on defense and veteran Milan Lucic bolstering the young core group of McDavid, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl and rookie Jesse Puljujarvi, leading the Pacific Division and Western Conference with a 7-2-0 record (14 points).
The Leafs lost back-to-back road games in Montreal and Brooklyn on the weekend and finished the month of October with a 2-4-3 record. The rotating of defensive pairings at the morning skate that included Frank Corrado led to speculation that the blueliner would see his first action of the season, but Corrado will sit his 10th consecutive game.
Cam Talbot and Frederik Andersen will get the starts in goal.
****** In spite of his impressive four-goal outing in his NHL debut and leading the NHL in scoring for much of the month of October, Auston Matthews was edged out for NHL Rookie of the Month honors by linemate William Nylander.
Nylander, 20, who played 22 games for the Leafs last season, leads all rookie with 11 points(four goals, seven assists) in nine games and is tied for the NHL lead with seven power-play points.
******* The Leafs assigned forward Josh Leivo to the Toronto Marlies on a conditioning stint. The 23-year-old winger played only one game during the exhibition schedule and was placed on the non-roster/injury list just prior to the start of the regular season.
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