Leafs @ Predators - Jan. 27th, 8:00pm - TSN4, Fan 590

[CarltonTheBear]

@

25-17-7, 57 points | 22-18-7, 51 points

Projected Lines

Hyman-Matthews-Marner Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander Johnsson-Engvall-Kapanen Moore-Gauthier-Spezza Muzzin-Holl Dermott-Barrie Sandin-Ceci Andersen ​

Jarnkrok-Johansen-Watson Forsberg-Duchene-Granlund Grimaldi-Bonino-Arvidsson Blackwell-Turris-Smith Josi-Weber Ekholm-Fabbro Hamhuis-Irwin Rinne​

Scratches

Martin Marincin Tyler Gaudet ​

Yakov Trenin Jarred Tinordi​

Game Notes

TOR
?Andersen (22-9-6, 2.89 GAA, .909 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
?Freddy will look to rebound after a tough stretch of games heading into the All-Star break. He had an .881 Sv% in the last 11 games
?The Leafs' injured reserve list is about to get a little shorter. Both Muzzin and Moore are expected to return to the line-up tonight
?Matthews is also expected to play after a lingering wrist issue kept him out of the All-Star game. He has 15 goals and 23 points in his last 15 games
?Quick line-up note: Kerfoot found himself back on the wing at practice yesterday with Engvall moving back to the 3C spot
?Toronto of course found themselves outside of a playoff spot when their bye week began. They are currently 4 points behind Florida for the 3rd spot in the Atlantic, and 4 points behind Carolina for the final WC spot (Leafs have a game in hand here)

NSH
?Rinne (16-10-3, 2.95 GAA, .899 Sv%) will likely start for the Predators
?The Preds are 3-3 under new head coach John Hynes. They're going to need to do a lot better than that in order to make a playoff push. They currently sit 12th in the West, 6 points behind the final WC spot. They do have between 3-5 games in hand on every team they're chasing though
?Defenceman Roman Josi leads Nashville in scoring with 48 points in 47 games. He's also averaging the 3rd most minutes in the league at 25:54. Josi finished 2nd for the Norris Trophy in the PHWA's midseason votes
?Their highest scoring forwards are Forsberg (32 in 41 games) and Duchene (31 in 44 games)
?Kyle Turris, who is in year 2 of a 6 year, $36mil contract, has just 19 points in 40 games this season and 3 in his past 12 games. He found himself a healthy scratch for 7 straight games earlier in the season under Peter Laviolette
Injuries

?Trevor Moore - Concussion - Probable Monday ?Jake Muzzin - Foot - Probable Monday ?Ilya Mikheyev - Wrist - Injured Reserve ?Morgan Rielly - Foot - Injured Reserve​

?Ryan Ellis - Upper Body - Injured Reserve ?Colton Sissons - Lower Body - Injured Reserve​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[WAYNEINIONA]

We need to go on a bit of a run here. GO LEAFS GO!!!

 

[Can8899]

We need to go on a bit of a run here. GO LEAFS GO!!!

My gut feeling is that we'll need at least 20 wins out of the last 33 games to make the playoffs.  Need to start it tonight!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

My gut feeling is that we'll need at least 20 wins out of the last 33 games to make the playoffs.  Need to start it tonight!

A 20-13 record would only give us 97 points, so we're going to need a few loser points there as well. The East is going to be a very tight playoff race.

Right now 9 of the top-12 teams in the league by points percentage are from the East. Columbus has the 8th best points percentage in the East and they're on pace for 99(.7) points.

Philly is 12th in the league in points percentage (.600) and they aren't in a playoff spot. They have a better record than every team in the Pacific division and 4 of the Pacific teams occupy playoff spots in the West.

I'm still confident that we'll make the playoffs, but it's going to be pretty tight especially considering the competition in the East. This isn't exactly new either. Last season Columbus had the final spot in the East with 98 points. Montreal just missed with 96 points. But in the West 3 teams made the playoffs in the 93-90 point range.

 

[bustaheims]

Next three weeks might be make-or-break for the Leafs. Aside from a couple games against Dallas, it's a softer schedule, and includes an important game against Florida. Toronto needs to go on a run here, or they'll be in tough to make up enough ground, as their schedule gets much tougher.

 

[rdowdall]

Roman Josi has 48 points in 47 games.  Not 32.

 

[L K]

This game concerns me.  Freddy usually doesn't perform well on extended rest.  Hopefully the all-star weekend prevents that from being an issue.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Roman Josi has 48 points in 47 games.  Not 32.

Thanks, must have seen 32 on Forsberg's stats.

 

[Frank E]

That Turris deal would make me nervous. 

Johansen isn't looking too super hot either at 27 points in 47 GP.

 

[ZBBM]

My gut feeling is that we'll need at least 20 wins out of the last 33 games to make the playoffs.  Need to start it tonight!

A 20-13 record would only give us 97 points, so we're going to need a few loser points there as well. The East is going to be a very tight playoff race.

Right now 9 of the top-12 teams in the league by points percentage are from the East. Columbus has the 8th best points percentage in the East and they're on pace for 99(.7) points.

Philly is 12th in the league in points percentage (.600) and they aren't in a playoff spot. They have a better record than every team in the Pacific division and 4 of the Pacific teams occupy playoff spots in the West.

I'm still confident that we'll make the playoffs, but it's going to be pretty tight especially considering the competition in the East. This isn't exactly new either. Last season Columbus had the final spot in the East with 98 points. Montreal just missed with 96 points. But in the West 3 teams made the playoffs in the 93-90 point range.

Eesh, I'm not, I didn't know we were 4 points out.  Oh well, missing wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.  Puts even more pressure on them to fix the defense.

 

[Bender]

I think we can 2 wins, 1 loss, 2 wins, 1 loss the rest of the way. I think we'll be fine.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I could end up being wrong, but I don't see Columbus maintaining their current pace. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Carolina drop off a little with Hamilton out.

 

[Highlander]

Turris on the 4th line really, also no Timashov in the report, I take it that this is an omission and he is a scratch. Haven't heard anything about him being waved.

 

[rdowdall]

Roman Josi has 48 points in 47 games.  Not 32.

Thanks, must have seen 32 on Forsberg's stats.

Just letting you know that I read these game notes .

 

[WAYNEINIONA]

Roman Josi has 48 points in 47 games.  Not 32.

Thanks, must have seen 32 on Forsberg's stats.

Just letting you know that I read these game notes .

Me too. But I always trust everything that Carlton says. ;D

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Roman Josi has 48 points in 47 games.  Not 32.

Thanks, must have seen 32 on Forsberg's stats.

Just letting you know that I read these game notes .

Me too. But I always trust everything that Carlton says. ;D

As you should. The sheep in the media will try and tell you that Timashov is a "healthy scratch" when in reality the team actually has no idea where he is.

 

[L K]

I could end up being wrong, but I don't see Columbus maintaining their current pace. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Carolina drop off a little with Hamilton out.

Yeah I'm not banking on Elvis getting another 15 shutouts this year.

 

[Zee]

My gut feeling is that we'll need at least 20 wins out of the last 33 games to make the playoffs.  Need to start it tonight!

A 20-13 record would only give us 97 points, so we're going to need a few loser points there as well. The East is going to be a very tight playoff race.

Right now 9 of the top-12 teams in the league by points percentage are from the East. Columbus has the 8th best points percentage in the East and they're on pace for 99(.7) points.

Philly is 12th in the league in points percentage (.600) and they aren't in a playoff spot. They have a better record than every team in the Pacific division and 4 of the Pacific teams occupy playoff spots in the West.

I'm still confident that we'll make the playoffs, but it's going to be pretty tight especially considering the competition in the East. This isn't exactly new either. Last season Columbus had the final spot in the East with 98 points. Montreal just missed with 96 points. But in the West 3 teams made the playoffs in the 93-90 point range.

If they can maintain the same points pace for the next 33 games that they have for the 26 under Keefe they'll get 44 points and finish with 101.  It's a big ask considering how hot they were for awhile under young Sheldon

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If they can maintain the same points pace for the next 33 games that they have for the 26 under Keefe they'll get 44 points and finish with 101.  It's a big ask considering how hot they were for awhile under young Sheldon

Keefe's record also includes a stretch of games where we had 2009-Vesa Toskala in net though, so there were highs and lows with that 0.673 points percentage.

 

[cujo4ever]

GO LEAFS GO!