Budsfan
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This is a thread to support all Leafs.
GDT are not to bash or diminish players.
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Tuesday game preview: St. Louis Blues at Toronto Maple Leafs
St. Louis has gone 6-9-1 without injured forward Jayden Schwartz.
Tuesday game preview: St. Louis Blues at Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto Star
Brayden Schenn, left, has given the Blues the offence were hoping for when they traded for him in June. (Chris Lee / St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS)
By Mark ZwolinskiSports Reporter
Mon., Jan. 15, 2018
AIR CANADA CENTRE
PUCK DROP: 7 p.m.
TV: TSN
RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
KEY PLAYERS
Schenn/Matthews
Brayden Schenn has been a solid addition since joining the Blues last June in a trade with Philadelphia. Originally projected as a first-line centre, Schenn has bounced on and off the top unit. Although he has been playing on the second line recently, with former Leaf Alex Steen and Dmitrij Jaskin, Schenn leads the Blues with 44 points and is second in goals with 17. Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko have both gone into slumps since Jayden Scwhartz was injured; Schenn has not scored in 10 games. It will be an interesting matchup if he opposes Auston Matthews, the Leafs’ top centre. Matthews is scoring at a higher pace than in his rookie season, despite missing 10 games due to back issues and a concussion.
NEED TO KNOW
Jayden Schwartz’s loss has been huge for the Blues: They are 20-8-2 with him in the lineup, and 6-9-1 without him. He is projected to return from injury (foot) after the all-star break . . . St. Louis opened the season at a sizzling 13-3-1 pace, but are 13-14-2 since. Two problems exist: one is a poor power play, the other is a cold spell for goaltender Jake Allen. The power play, despite big time shooters in Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko, ranks 29th in the league and went 0-for-21 over a nine-game stretch from Dec. 20 to Jan. 7. Allen is 1-8-0 in his last nine starts, with an .896 save percentage. He allowed 28 goals in those nine starts . . . Backup Carter Hutton has been impressive in a relief role. The 32-year-old, who is in a contract year, has a 1.81 goals-against averaged, second in the NHL, and a .941 save percentage . . . Even with up-and-down goaltending, St. Louis is fifth in the NHL in goals against per game (2.7). Their penalty kill is middle of the pack at 14th . . . The Blues still have serious Stanley Cup aspirations, and that has led to rumours that Montreal centre Max Pacioretty could land in St. Louis.
UP NEXT
Thursday, at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Leafs need to shake sand out of skates or they'll be singing the Blues
Lance HornbyMore from Lance Hornby
Leafs need to shake sand out of skates or they’ll be singing the Blues
Time for the Maple Leafs to shake the sand out of their skates and put ice back in their veins.
An unsatisfying home stand prior to their five-day bye week should have nagged at them while in warmer climates such as Mexico and the Bahamas and made them more determined to finish six straight at the ACC on Tuesday on the right note against the St. Louis Blues.
The visitors were also on break, so there should be no advantage either way. For Mike Babcock’s Leafs, Tuesday heralds six games in 10 nights against teams at or near the playoff line.
“You look at the standings and a couple of teams have separated themselves, the rest of us are all kind of in a mud puddle in the middle,” Babcock said. “Since Christmas we’ve been .500 — not good enough.”
As expected, defenceman Travis Dermott and centre Frederik Gauther were recalled Monday morning. The pair were loaned to the Marlies for the farm team’s weekend road series in Charlotte, which made sense for contract economics and playing time, though some questioned why rookie Dermott was a healthy scratch last Wednesday against Ottawa after his first two strong outings .
Dermott, in a rotation with Connor Carrick and Andreas Borgman, appears to be back in to face the Blues.
“We gave the (Marlie) coaches specific instructions to focus on with him,” Babcock said. “The opportunity will dry up when (Nikita) Zaitsev gets back for somebody and so the better he does, the better opportunity to be here.”
Zaitsev is not yet practising after breaking his foot a month ago, but was expected to begin skating anytime after Monday.
“It was pretty seamless,” Dermott said of bouncing between the Leafs and Marlies the past week. “Going down was the right call. You try to make sure not to do too much, though I admit I caught myself doing a little of that in a couple of those games.”
All healthy players were present and accounted for as they re-assembled for a late-afternoon practice. Winger Nikita Soshnikov, the only other injured Leaf, skated by himself prior to the main body.
Centre Nazem Kadri said his mind was ready to resume play, but said the legs were a little stiff after he had lazed on a Mexican beach.
“It shouldn’t be long to get back in the rhythm,” he said. “We’d like to string some wins together. Now’s the time for us to take it to the next level. We can’t take these games and these points for granted. Down the stretch, that might be the difference about squeaking into the playoffs.
“Structurally, we have to be a little more consistent, not have those lapses where we’re giving up odd-man rushes.”
Leading scorer Auston Mathews made it to the Bahamas for a few days with goaltender Frederik Andersen and defenceman Morgan Rielly.
“The 40-to-60 game mark is kind of a grind,” Matthews said. ” I think everyone felt good today, nice to get a mental break. But we haven’t touched a puck in four or five days. It takes a practice to get that feel back.”
With 37 games remaining and a playoff spot not yet secure, the Leafs won’t have much time to waste.
BABCOCK ‘JEALOUS’ OF OLYMPIANS
It’s sunk in for Mike Babcock that Canada is going to the Olympic hockey tournament without him and a lot of other familiar faces.
The Maple Leaf coach – and the man behind the bench for two Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014 – had to listen with everyone else for last Thursday’s announcement of the Canandian roster; a group of KHLers, European club players and some America Leaguers.
“I’m jealous,” Babcock said Monday. “There are a lot of players in our league that would be jealous, too. It’s the best sporting event ever and we’d like to be part of it.”
The decision by the NHL not to go to South Korea will affect all the hockey powers. Babcock was asked if he’s on call should the coaching staff of Willie Desjardins and Dave King need a piece of advice.
“I talk to those guys a couple of times and to Kinger (an old Saskatchewan pal) again the other day. You wish the team well
This is a thread to support all Leafs.
GDT are not to bash or diminish players.
You will be thread banned if you don't comply.
Tuesday game preview: St. Louis Blues at Toronto Maple Leafs
St. Louis has gone 6-9-1 without injured forward Jayden Schwartz.
Tuesday game preview: St. Louis Blues at Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto Star
Brayden Schenn, left, has given the Blues the offence were hoping for when they traded for him in June. (Chris Lee / St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS)
By Mark ZwolinskiSports Reporter
Mon., Jan. 15, 2018
AIR CANADA CENTRE
PUCK DROP: 7 p.m.
TV: TSN
RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
KEY PLAYERS
Schenn/Matthews
Brayden Schenn has been a solid addition since joining the Blues last June in a trade with Philadelphia. Originally projected as a first-line centre, Schenn has bounced on and off the top unit. Although he has been playing on the second line recently, with former Leaf Alex Steen and Dmitrij Jaskin, Schenn leads the Blues with 44 points and is second in goals with 17. Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko have both gone into slumps since Jayden Scwhartz was injured; Schenn has not scored in 10 games. It will be an interesting matchup if he opposes Auston Matthews, the Leafs’ top centre. Matthews is scoring at a higher pace than in his rookie season, despite missing 10 games due to back issues and a concussion.
NEED TO KNOW
Jayden Schwartz’s loss has been huge for the Blues: They are 20-8-2 with him in the lineup, and 6-9-1 without him. He is projected to return from injury (foot) after the all-star break . . . St. Louis opened the season at a sizzling 13-3-1 pace, but are 13-14-2 since. Two problems exist: one is a poor power play, the other is a cold spell for goaltender Jake Allen. The power play, despite big time shooters in Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko, ranks 29th in the league and went 0-for-21 over a nine-game stretch from Dec. 20 to Jan. 7. Allen is 1-8-0 in his last nine starts, with an .896 save percentage. He allowed 28 goals in those nine starts . . . Backup Carter Hutton has been impressive in a relief role. The 32-year-old, who is in a contract year, has a 1.81 goals-against averaged, second in the NHL, and a .941 save percentage . . . Even with up-and-down goaltending, St. Louis is fifth in the NHL in goals against per game (2.7). Their penalty kill is middle of the pack at 14th . . . The Blues still have serious Stanley Cup aspirations, and that has led to rumours that Montreal centre Max Pacioretty could land in St. Louis.
UP NEXT
Thursday, at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Leafs need to shake sand out of skates or they'll be singing the Blues
Lance HornbyMore from Lance Hornby
Leafs need to shake sand out of skates or they’ll be singing the Blues
Time for the Maple Leafs to shake the sand out of their skates and put ice back in their veins.
An unsatisfying home stand prior to their five-day bye week should have nagged at them while in warmer climates such as Mexico and the Bahamas and made them more determined to finish six straight at the ACC on Tuesday on the right note against the St. Louis Blues.
The visitors were also on break, so there should be no advantage either way. For Mike Babcock’s Leafs, Tuesday heralds six games in 10 nights against teams at or near the playoff line.
“You look at the standings and a couple of teams have separated themselves, the rest of us are all kind of in a mud puddle in the middle,” Babcock said. “Since Christmas we’ve been .500 — not good enough.”
As expected, defenceman Travis Dermott and centre Frederik Gauther were recalled Monday morning. The pair were loaned to the Marlies for the farm team’s weekend road series in Charlotte, which made sense for contract economics and playing time, though some questioned why rookie Dermott was a healthy scratch last Wednesday against Ottawa after his first two strong outings .
Dermott, in a rotation with Connor Carrick and Andreas Borgman, appears to be back in to face the Blues.
“We gave the (Marlie) coaches specific instructions to focus on with him,” Babcock said. “The opportunity will dry up when (Nikita) Zaitsev gets back for somebody and so the better he does, the better opportunity to be here.”
Zaitsev is not yet practising after breaking his foot a month ago, but was expected to begin skating anytime after Monday.
“It was pretty seamless,” Dermott said of bouncing between the Leafs and Marlies the past week. “Going down was the right call. You try to make sure not to do too much, though I admit I caught myself doing a little of that in a couple of those games.”
All healthy players were present and accounted for as they re-assembled for a late-afternoon practice. Winger Nikita Soshnikov, the only other injured Leaf, skated by himself prior to the main body.
Centre Nazem Kadri said his mind was ready to resume play, but said the legs were a little stiff after he had lazed on a Mexican beach.
“It shouldn’t be long to get back in the rhythm,” he said. “We’d like to string some wins together. Now’s the time for us to take it to the next level. We can’t take these games and these points for granted. Down the stretch, that might be the difference about squeaking into the playoffs.
“Structurally, we have to be a little more consistent, not have those lapses where we’re giving up odd-man rushes.”
Leading scorer Auston Mathews made it to the Bahamas for a few days with goaltender Frederik Andersen and defenceman Morgan Rielly.
“The 40-to-60 game mark is kind of a grind,” Matthews said. ” I think everyone felt good today, nice to get a mental break. But we haven’t touched a puck in four or five days. It takes a practice to get that feel back.”
With 37 games remaining and a playoff spot not yet secure, the Leafs won’t have much time to waste.
BABCOCK ‘JEALOUS’ OF OLYMPIANS
It’s sunk in for Mike Babcock that Canada is going to the Olympic hockey tournament without him and a lot of other familiar faces.
The Maple Leaf coach – and the man behind the bench for two Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014 – had to listen with everyone else for last Thursday’s announcement of the Canandian roster; a group of KHLers, European club players and some America Leaguers.
“I’m jealous,” Babcock said Monday. “There are a lot of players in our league that would be jealous, too. It’s the best sporting event ever and we’d like to be part of it.”
The decision by the NHL not to go to South Korea will affect all the hockey powers. Babcock was asked if he’s on call should the coaching staff of Willie Desjardins and Dave King need a piece of advice.
“I talk to those guys a couple of times and to Kinger (an old Saskatchewan pal) again the other day. You wish the team well
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