Maple Leafs Pregame #45: 5 Things to watch for against the Jets

Photo credit:John E. Sokolowski | USA Today

4 years ago

After a rather long train ride out east, the Jets are enjoying the luxury of flight on their road trip around the Atlantic division. Tonight they get the privilege of playing Toronto against the Leafs, who having to deal with their devastating one game losing streak which has shaken all our beliefs about this team.

Lineups

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ZACH HYMAN Rating: 73.9#46 LW	AUSTON MATTHEWS Rating: 82.2#2 C	MITCH MARNER Rating: 78.5#6 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 78.19#5 FL1
ALEXANDER KERFOOT Rating: 72.8#70 LW	JOHN TAVARES Rating: 80.0#8 C	WILLIAM NYLANDER Rating: 78.0#9 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 76.92#3 FL2
PIERRE ENGVALL Rating: 73.2#60 LW	JASON SPEZZA Rating: 70.2#151 C	KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 73.0#59 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 72.11#12 FL3
MASON MARCHMENT Rating: 73.2#59 LW	ADAM BROOKS	FREDERIK GAUTHIER Rating: 68.9#127 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 71.06#14 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS		Defense
MORGAN RIELLY Rating: 76.0#10 LD	TYSON BARRIE Rating: 76.4#12 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.17#5 DL1
MARTIN MARINCIN Rating: 71.8#82 LD	JUSTIN HOLL Rating: 73.2#45 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 72.51#26 DL2
TRAVIS DERMOTT Rating: 72.8#57 LD	CODY CECI Rating: 71.5#81 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 72.16#15 DL3

LW	C	RW	Forwards
KYLE CONNOR Rating: 78.8#9 LW	MARK SCHEIFELE Rating: 79.3#12 C	PATRIK LAINE Rating: 75.1#28 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 77.74#6 FL1
NIKOLAJ EHLERS Rating: 74.7#32 LW	BLAKE WHEELER Rating: 75.9#21 C	JACK ROSLOVIC Rating: 70.7#98 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 73.73#18 FL2
ANDREW COPP Rating: 73.3#56 LW	ADAM LOWRY Rating: 70.2#153 C	MATHIEU PERREAULT Rating: 69.9#112 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 71.10#25 FL3
JANSEN HARKINS	NICK SHORE Rating: 70.8#133 C	MASON APPLETON Rating: 69.8#113 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 70.27#22 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS		Defense
JOSH MORRISSEY Rating: 73.7#36 LD	TUCKER POOLMAN Rating: 71.2#84 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 72.46#29 DL1
LUCA SBISA Rating: 71.0#103 LD	NEAL PIONK Rating: 73.3#40 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 72.15#29 DL2
SAMI NIKU Rating: 71.6#88 LD	ANTHONY BITETTO Rating: 69.6#100 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 70.63#29 DL3

Aw yes, the highly anticipated return of Nick Shore. Gonna let the kids stay up for this one.

Here are 5 things to watch for.

1. Goaltending

After a rough start which saw him pulled it will be interesting to see if Freddie Andersen makes a statement tonight, or if we just a get another reminder that the week off at the end of January can’t come soon enough.

2. Defense

So the actual problem isn’t really goaltending, but instead a blueline that features some rather questionable players in Marincin and Ceci, but also we might need to have some debate over whether Holl is being put in over his head in his shutdown role and if Morgan Rielly needs a lot of sheltering.

3. Who survives Johnsson’s return?

Sheldon Keefe has all but confirmed that we won’t be seeing any Johnsson this weekend, but we’ll be getting some Johnsson real soon.

That should mean that waivers free players like Brooks and Marchment are in direct competition to stay in the lineup and need to ace their auditions. I’m going out on a limb and saying that Engvall is pretty safe, and given that he’s requested a trade perhaps moving Timashov is what works best for everyone at this point.

4. Exploiting the Jets D

Looking at the lineup above, I wonder if this is really the game the Leafs need to focus on their defensive efforts and instead can just go with an all out attack on that crappy blueline instead.

5. That Jets top line

Connor-Scheifele-Laine is pretty terrifying even if Laine hasn’t lived up to his hype over the past couple of seasons. It will be interesting to see if Keefe stubbornly sticks with Marincin-Holl as the matchup against the top line, which also begs the question, “who does it if they can’t?”

Game time is 7:30 PM ET and it can be seen on Sportsnet.

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