Nation Sites
The Nation Network
The LeafsNation has no direct affiliation to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
LGD: Jersey, Sure
Photo credit: Tom Szczerbowski / USA TODAY Sports
By ThatsKappy
Nov 9, 2018, 11:13 EST
Good morning!
It’s a game day. The Leafs (10-5-0) are at home again versus the New Jersey Devils.
Tonight is the first half of an inexplicable back-to-back. With Scotiabank Arena empty last night, and neither the Leafs or the Devils in action, leave it to the NHL to have the Leafs go back-to-back instead. Sigh.
Leafs Lines
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 ZACH HYMAN Rating: 71.8#86 LW |  JOHN TAVARES Rating: 81.2#12 C |  MITCH MARNER Rating: 77.6#18 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.87#19 FL1 |
 PATRICK MARLEAU Rating: 74.4#40 LW |  NAZEM KADRI Rating: 77.4#32 C |  KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 74.1#38 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 75.31#11 FL2 |
 ANDREAS JOHNSSON Rating: 72.9#63 LW |  PAR LINDHOLM Rating: 72.8#91 C |  CONNOR BROWN Rating: 69.7#109 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.80#23 FL3 |
 TYLER ENNIS Rating: 71.3#94 LW |  FREDERIK GAUTHIER Rating: 70.8#146 C |  JOSH LEIVO Rating: 73.5#53 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 71.84#7 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MORGAN RIELLY Rating: 79.1#6 LD |  RON HAINSEY Rating: 72.8#42 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 75.96#9 DL1 |
 JAKE GARDINER Rating: 77.1#15 LD |  NIKITA ZAITSEV Rating: 70.9#85 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.99#14 DL2 |
 TRAVIS DERMOTT Rating: 73.6#41 LD |  IGOR OZHIGANOV Rating: 72.4#51 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.99#6 DL3 |
No changes are expected tonight. The Leafs have rolled these lines for three consecutive games, with varying results – but two consecutive wins. Does a particularly horrible game against Vegas on Tuesday leave your collar feeling a little tight heading into tonight? Sure, maybe. But here we are.
No Matthews (shoulder), no Nylander (cold shoulder). You know the drill.
Devils Lines
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 TAYLOR HALL Rating: 84.3#3 LW |  NICO HISCHIER Rating: 75.9#45 C |  KYLE PALMIERI Rating: 80.9#3 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 80.36#4 FL1 |
 MARCUS JOHANSSON Rating: 73.1#81 LW |  JESPER BRATT Rating: 69.8#117 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 71.46#31 FL2 | |
 BLAKE COLEMAN Rating: 72.9#90 LW |  TRAVIS ZAJAC Rating: 73.6#68 C |  JOEY ANDERSON Rating: 73.5#52 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 73.34#8 FL3 |
 BRIAN BOYLE Rating: 72.4#104 LW |  MILES WOOD Rating: 71.7#88 C |  JEAN-SEBASTIEN DEA Rating: 72.7#96 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 72.24#3 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MIRCO MUELLER Rating: 72.1#73 LD |  SAMI VATANEN Rating: 75.4#25 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 73.71#23 DL1 |
 ANDY GREENE Rating: 70.9#94 LD |  DAMON SEVERSON Rating: 72.1#57 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 71.50#23 DL2 |
 WILL BUTCHER Rating: 76.2#18 LD |  BEN LOVEJOY Rating: 70.8#89 RD |
The Devils are mostly recognizable nowadays, which is fun if you’re a Devils fan. If you’re not a Devils fan, I suppose it’s at least one less head-scratcher.
Kyle Palmieri has been hot for the Devils this season, with ten goals already. Auston Matthews has ten goals too, but he’ll be eating popcorn tonight.
Other than that, the Devils haven’t really scored all that much. They’re 24th in the league with 42 goals on the season.
Starting Goalies
One Danish Star (8-5-0, .929 sv%)
versus this guy (6-4-1, .918 sv%)
Kinkaid vs. Andersen between the pipes. Let’s go.
Notes
- The Leafs have sneakily become a defensively stingy team of late. They’re up to 6th in the league in fewest goals against, and own the third-best goal differential in the league at +11.
- Only seven Leafs this season have more than 1 non-empty net goal. So I guess we’re still waiting on that offensive depth we boasted about.
Catch the action at 7pm ET on TSN4.
Breaking News
- Gavin McKenna might be a Mitch Marner replacement but not in year one
- Maple Leafs’ activity on Day 1 of free agency indicates heavy investment into next two years
- Ryan Tverberg reportedly signs 1-year, $850K extension with Maple Leafs
- Leafs development camp scrimmage notebook: McKenna’s playmaking, Koblar shines, Nansi wins superlatives, quick hits
- Gavin McKenna confirms he’ll wear No. 92 for Maple Leafs