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Wild @ Maple Leafs - Jan. 29th, 7:00pm - SN, Fan 590

CarltonTheBear

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Staff member
MIN_light.svg
TOR_light.svg
Minnesota Wild
29-17-4, 62 pts
@
Toronto Maple Leafs
30-18-2, 62 pts
Projected Line-ups
Boldy-Eriksson Ek-Zuccarello
Foligno-Rossi-Hartman
Ohgren-Gaudreau-Trenin
Shore-Khusnutdinov-Lauko

Middleton-Faber
Merrill-Spurgeon
Dermott-Bogosian

Gustavsson​
McMann-Matthews-Marner
Domi-Holmberg-Nylander
Pacioretty-Minten-Robertson
Lorentz-Kampf-Reaves

Rielly-McCabe
OEL-Tanev
Benoit-Myers

Woll
Scratches
Declan Chrisholm​
Nikita Grebenkin
Matthew Knies
Conor Timmins
Injuries
Kirill Kaprizov - Lower Body - Injured Reserve
Jonas Brodin - Lower Body - Injured Reserve
Marcus Johansson - Concussion - Injured Reserve​
Max Pacioretty - Upper Body - Probable
Matthew Knies - Upper Body - Day to day
Connor Dewar - Upper Body - Injured Reserve
John Tavares - Lower Body - Injured Reserve
Anthony Stolarz - Lower Body - Injured Reserve
Jani Hakanpaa - Knee - Injured Reserve
Calle Jarnkrok - Lower Body - Injured Reserve
Game Notes
MIN
-Filip Gustavsson (19-10-3, 2.61 GAA, .913 Sv%) will likely start for the Wild
-Minnesota received some bad news on Tuesday as it was announced Kirill Kaprizov will miss at least 4 weeks after having surgery to address a lower body injury he's been battling through since December. The star forward has the 5th highest PPG rate in the league this season and only recently returned to the line-up after missing 12 games because of the injury
TOR
-Joseph Woll (17-9-0, 2.67 GAA, .907 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
-Pacioretty is expected to return to the line-up after missing the past 3 games. He skated on the 3rd line alongside Minten and Robertson at practice Tuesday
 
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This is really baffling to me why we aren't giving Steeves a chance at this point. He's 3.5 years younger than Bobby McMann. McMann's breakout was 24 goals in 61 games in 2021-2022 and then 21G in 30GP 2022-2023.

Obviously AHL scoring doesn't mean anything when it comes to producing in the NHL but Steeves has 23 in 58, 19 in 65, 27 in 65 and now 22 goals in 31 GP this year. We have a scoring depth problem right now. Seems like this was a good opportunity to give him a chance.

Also, don't call up Grebenkin to sit him on the bench while playing Ryan Reaves.

Quillan should probably be added to the injured list.
 
Hockey is a game who's main objective is to put the puck in the opposing teams net, while keeping it out of your own net. A good hockey player is one who can do one, or both of these things well and help contribute to winning a hockey game.

Ryan Reaves is none of those things.
There's some really good players on this team, not to mention the best one, that like having him in the lineup...sometimes it's not about optimizing value of that roster spot in terms of his personal numbers on his own boxscore stats..sometimes it's about making your top dogs feel comfortable. It may not be sensical, but Matthews is very defensive of Reaves. We'll all agree that Matthews feeling good out there makes good things happen.

I understand how it might look from the outside...but there are reasons that an obvious zero offensive player is playing games right now. Given their record this season, and specifically their rapid transformation to a playoff style team, I'll give Berube the rope especially when the 4th line RW options/scratches don't contribute much of anything anyways.
 
There's some really good players on this team, not to mention the best one, that like having him in the lineup...sometimes it's not about optimizing value of that roster spot in terms of his personal numbers on his own boxscore stats..sometimes it's about making your top dogs feel comfortable. It may not be sensical, but Matthews is very defensive of Reaves. We'll all agree that Matthews feeling good out there makes good things happen.

I understand how it might look from the outside...but there are reasons that an obvious zero offensive player is playing games right now. Given their record this season, and specifically their rapid transformation to a playoff style team, I'll give Berube the rope especially when the 4th line RW options/scratches don't contribute much of anything anyways.

I get it. Sort of. What else is the captain suppose to say though? This guy sucks?

I love players like Reaves. I really really do. There are few and far between of his ilk remaining in the league. They generally have had a rough and tough career and compared to most NHL players, make sweet eff all.

Sentiment, nostalgia and whatever else are not using that roster spot effectively. He's 38, pretty slow out there.. Doesn't do much on either end of the ice.

It doesn't seem having Reaves in the lineup is deterring anyone from cross checking Matthews in the back at any and all opportunities.
 
Frank makes some good points.

Did Reaves dress for any of the playoff games last year? If not, he very likely won't this year either, and if so, I guess just let him be in the regular season.
 
Frank makes some good points.

Did Reaves dress for any of the playoff games last year? If not, he very likely won't this year either, and if so, I guess just let him be in the regular season.
Yes, Reaves played in 5 of the 7 games last playoffs.
 
Cool every deflection goes in our net but can't see that happening with our guys because our defense can't get shots through to the net.

I'm really tired of watching the bottom six do nothing but take penalties
 
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