The Toronto Maple Leafs begin their most anticipated season against their traditional rival, the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday evening. The club had a successful exhibition season (winning six of their eight games) and the talented group is confident in their abilities, but head coach Mike Babcock has warned the group that no matter how talented they are, they will need to put in the effort to achieve the goals they have in front of them.
“If you don’t work, you don’t win. If you don’t put your work before your talent, you have no chance for success.” the Leafs head coach said after the club’s morning skate. “There’s a whole bunch of one-goal games and the good teams are on the high side of it and the other teams aren’t. Game are way tighter than you think. We’ve got to come out and execute and be ready to play.”
Toronto will have four players making their debut in Blue and White; defenseman Igor Ozhiganov and forwards Par Lindholm, Tyler Ennis and John Tavares.
Ozhiganov will partner with Travis Dermott on the bottom defensive pairing, Lindholm will center the fourth line with Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen, Ennis will take the place of the absent William Nylander alongside Auston Matthews and Patrick Marleau, and Tavares will center wingers Zach Hyman and Mitch Marner.
“Everyone is excited. There is a lot of belief in our group, not just in our locker room, but around the city and the fan support. It’s tremendous to have that.” Tavares said. “I still get the same butterflies like I did in my first year and my first game. Obviously it is different, there is no question of that in my first game here as a Maple Leaf.”
The Habs will be without injured team captain Shea Weber, but head coach Claude Julien signaled that this season may be a transition year for the Habs, announcing that veterans Tomas Plekanec and Karl Alzner would be healthy scratches.
Plekanec returned to Montreal on a one-year deal after being traded to Toronto at last year’s deadline, but will sit as 18-year-old 2018 third-overall pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi will make his NHL debut. Alzner, who is in year two of a five-year, $23.125 Million contract, had played 622 consecutive games for Washington and Montreal, but will be out of the lineup in favor of Xavier Ouellet.
Frederik Andersen and Carey Price will be in goal for the season opener.
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