Pre-Game Talk: Leafs @ Avalanche on HNIC | 7:00PM EST | Sportsnet

[MattySnipes]

I've created some graphics for this game. If y'all don't mind I'd like to do the pre-game and GDT for this one. Enjoy. Gonna be a beauty of a game!

Maple Leafs face-off against the Avalanche and when they play on Saturday there will be a familiar face on the other side. The Avs will be playing with their off-season addition, former long-time Maple Leaf, Nazem Kadri.

On the other side the Avs and their fans welcome back former players Barrie and Kerfoot, who were acquired for Kadri back in the summer of 2019. Kerfoot was immediately extended by the Leafs. Meanwhile, Barrie came in on a reduced cap hit of 2.75M and is also in a contract year, testing free agency.

Key Injuries

Toronto: Marner, Moore

Colorado: Rantanen, Landeskog, Jost, Calvert, Wilson

Click to read more...

 

[saltming]

A pgt with a poll!

 

[Alkalinesky]

Regulation win.

We will be in attendance tomorrow. Cannot WAIT to see these two teams battle it out. So many quality players on the ice for both teams. I was sort of dreading it last week. Now I'm super stoked! Go Leafs!

 

[ACC1224]

Am I the only one who doesn't know all the Avalanche players by their faces ?
If someone could add the names to the faces I'd appreciate it.

 

[MattySnipes]

Am I the only one who doesn't know all the Avalanche players by their faces ?
If someone could add the names to the faces I'd appreciate it.

I gotcha.

 

[willmma]

Happy to see Kadri. Like all ex-leafs he will have a high chance of scoring on us.

Strange that Kadri is coming to play a babcock-less leafs.

Let's whoop them Avs!

 

[willmma]

Am I the only one who doesn't know all the Avalanche players by their faces ?
If someone could add the names to the faces I'd appreciate it.

I'll get this started with this Avalanche player.

His name is Nazem Kadri. Pretty good player.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

This will be a great game to watch. Super super fast exciting hockey. I think we have more talent/skill so should take it in a tight game. But MAC is best player on that ice so it makes me nervous.
This is the 1 game in next 5 which worries me. But I think we are in middle of a 6 game win streak.

 

[stickty111]

I'm getting annoyed with the Kadri love all of a sudden from a few people, but it will be good to play against him. I still love the guy, and man the amount of defending me and posters like @Gary Nylund had to do for him was crazy.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I'm getting annoyed with the Kadri love all of a sudden from a few people, but it will be good to play against him. I still love the guy, and man the amount of defending me and posters like @Gary Nylund had to do for him was crazy.

Yeah he was my favourite player for years. I think 90% of the defending we did was due to one poster with a strong bias and a big mouth but I digress.

I think the reason people have missed Kadri so much is because we've been so soft and could use some of what he brought to the team. Now that it looks we're going to start winning again, the Kadri love should die down some. It's nice that he's doing well I guess but now that he's no longer a Maple Leaf I really don't care that much.

The crest on the front, not the number on the back. The Maple Leaf forever!

 

[Lightsol]

I'm getting annoyed with the Kadri love all of a sudden from a few people, but it will be good to play against him. I still love the guy, and man the amount of defending me and posters like @Gary Nylund had to do for him was crazy.

Back when I posted on the official Leafs forum, there was a guy who was convinced, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Nazem Kadri would become a 100 point center if the Leafs would only move him up to the first line...

 

[mrJT]

It's nice to be excited for Games again.
Should be a doozy

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Regulation win especially iff Rantanen and Landeskog remain out, I actually think they are going on a pretty big run after looking at the upcoming schedule

 

[Burnie97]

This will be a great game to watch. Super super fast exciting hockey. I think we have more talent/skill so should take it in a tight game. But MAC is best player on that ice so it makes me nervous.
This is the 1 game in next 5 which worries me. But I think we are in middle of a 6 game win streak.

I sure hope so.

Amazing the change on here from a few days ago with 1 Win. Lol.

I hope the fact 2 of their best players are out... Leafs take full advantage and crush Colorado.

Still getting use to looking forward to a game again.

 

[lobmx]

I think we have more talent/skill so should take it in a tight game.

This honestly made me LOL harder than anything else I've read this season. More talent/skill than Colorado... Good one!

 

[BertCorbeau]

Expecting Kadri to have a good night against

 

[Jmo89]

Will be interesting to see if the team continues giving effort all three periods or if last game was a coaching change high.

No moral victories. Need the 2 points.

 

[Once]

Kadri will be their best player unless Mac goes on a tear.

Also, happy Barrie got his goal. He should be amped for tomorrow with that monkey off of his back.

 

[DarkKnight]

9-1 Leafs. Barrie five point night and the highest 5 v 5 Corsi ever recorded in the modern era. Keefe only has 4 players on the ice in the 3rd to demonstrate how his system can still dominate. Ceci still sucks.

 

[Captain14]

Due to the injuries in the Colorado lineup, I voted regulation win. However, I would still expect this to be close game. We will need to be a little tighter in the neutral Zone and one change I would like to see is Johnsson off of Austin’s line.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Due to the injuries in the Colorado lineup, I voted regulation win. However, I would still expect this to be close game. We will need to be a little tighter in the neutral Zone and one change I would like to see is Johnsson off of Austin’s line.

not until Marner is back

 

[Myopic]

The smart move (the anti-Babcock move) would be to play Freddy again tonight in goal. Keep the momentum going.

Nothing would be worse than letting in a few bad goals to start the game. That always has a negative effect on the team. You want to erase the stink of the first 1/4 of the season and start a nice win streak.

 

[Suntouchable13]

The smart move (the anti-Babcock move) would be to play Freddy again tonight in goal. Keep the momentum going.

Nothing would be worse than letting in a few bad goals to start the game. That always has a negative effect on the team. You want to erase the stink of the first 1/4 of the season and start a nice win streak.

The game is tomorrow night.

 

[HolyCrap]

This honestly made me LOL harder than anything else I've read this season. More talent/skill than Colorado... Good one!

hahaha. This is you very first post and you come to Leafs forum and post this non sense. Back under your bridge kid.

 

[saltming]

9-1 Leafs. Barrie five point night and the highest 5 v 5 Corsi ever recorded in the modern era. Keefe only has 4 players on the ice in the 3rd to demonstrate how his system can still dominate. Ceci still sucks.

Finally a down to earth post from a poster that is reasonable level headed and authentic.
Kudos!