Leafs @ Stars - Oct. 9th, 8:30pm - TSN4, Fan 590

[CarltonTheBear]

@

2-1-0, 4 points | 2-0-0, 4 points

Projected Lines

Hyman-Tavares-Marner Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen Leivo-Kadri-Brown Johnsson-Lindholm-Ennis Rielly-Hainsey Gardiner-Zaitsev Dermott-Marincin Andersen ​

Benn-Seguin-Radulov Janmark-Spezza-Comeau Shore-Faksa-Pitlick Dickinson-Hintz-Ritchie Lindell-Klingberg Methot-Heiskanen Carrick-Polak Bishop​

Scratches

Frederik Gauthier Igor Ozhiganov Justin Holl ​

Valeri Nichushkin Gemel Smith Julius Honka ​

Game Notes

TOR
?Andersen (1-1-0, 3.06 GAA, .898 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
?Babs made one line-up change in the Chicago game that will likely carry over here: swapping Kapanen and Ennis
?The Leafs are still looking for their first regulation win of the season

DAL
?Bishop (2-0-0, 0.50 GAA, .984 Sv%) will likely start for the Stars
?The Stars have started their season off well, winning both their games by a combined score of 8-1
?Former Leaf Connor Carrick is off to a good start with his new team, recording 3 assists in 2 games so far
?One player to keep an eye on could be rookie defenceman Miro Heiskanen. He was the 3rd overall pick in 2017 and likely the reason Erik Karlsson isn't a Dallas Star right now

Injuries

​

?Valeri Nichushkin - Lower Body - Questionable Tuesday ?Stephen Johns - Head - Out indefinitely ?Martin Hanzal - Spine - Injured Reserve​

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​

 

[Kin]

So the Leafs don't play a team that made the playoffs last year until Saturday.

 

[Mot the Barber]

And have yet to win in regular time.

 

[TML fan]

Haven't lost in overtime

 

[Zee]

Stars are due for a loss.

 

[dappleganger]

I peg the over/under at 11.

 

[bustaheims]

Hopefully, a game against a team that should be in the playoff conversation helps the team play a better game. Can be hard to get into the right frame of mind starting the season off against bottom feeders.

 

[Coco-puffs]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1049701248914608131

Johnsson has had a poor start.  I'm ok with him sitting- just wish it wasn't the Goat coming in for him.

Marincin had a good game in Chicago.  Disappointing they went back to Oz.

Lindholm over Leivo on the 3rd line. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Yeah I said the other day that if Nylander signed right now then Johnsson would be the one sitting instead of Ennis or Leivo, so I'm not surprised here. But Babcock knows how good he can be based off his performance here last season, so this is certainly just a temporary thing.

Gauthier being on the team is inexplicable. He's not a NHL player and he's proven that every chance he's gotten up here. He didn't even have a good pre-season. I don't get this at all. And Lindholm getting the 3rd line promotion is weird too... he really hasn't been that much better than Johnsson. That bottom-6 is a complete mess right now.

 

[Coco-puffs]

Yeah I said the other day that if Nylander signed right now then Johnsson would be the one sitting instead of Ennis or Leivo, so I'm not surprised here. But Babcock knows how good he can be based off his performance here last season, so this is certainly just a temporary thing.

Gauthier being on the team is inexplicable. He's not a NHL player and he's proven that every chance he's gotten up here. He didn't even have a good pre-season. I don't get this at all. And Lindholm getting the 3rd line promotion is weird too... he really hasn't been that much better than Johnsson. That bottom-6 is a complete mess right now.

I don't think Lindholm has been as bad as some have made him out to be.  Kadri has been the only one really playing well out of that group.  Brown is Brown, but yeah Leivo, Ennis, and Johnsson haven't been good IMO.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Clear message being sent to Johnsson here. The GOAT brings size in the middle but let's face facts here, the 4th line isn't playing much. The 3rd line hasn't been good offensively so promoting Lindholm, who has been fine even tho the line hasn't been on a whole, and dropping Leivo isn't shocking. Hope Kappy has another good game. As for Oz, it's obvious they want him to succeed. I won't dump on him yet and I think we need to be a lil patient with him. He's got some huge adjustments to make coming from the KHL.

 

[L K]

Gautier shouldn?t have made the team in the first place so him getting into the lineup is dumb.  As much as I haven?t liked Johnsson?s play so far, I?m not thrilled with Babcock return to punish the rookie while veterans also play like garbage routine.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1049693716540268550

Roman Polak rejects his namesake and drops some realism.

edit: good job posting this in the wrong thread, herman.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm like 65% convinced that Babcock is playing Gauthier to get back at Dubas for the whole McBackup/Sparks thing.

 

[herman]

I'm like 65% convinced that Babcock is playing Gauthier to get back at Dubas for the whole McBackup/Sparks thing.

Siri, how do you say ?showcase? in French?

 

[Coco-puffs]

I'm like 65% convinced that Babcock is playing Gauthier to get back at Dubas for the whole McBackup/Sparks thing.

?  Dubas would have been the one to pick Gauthier to make the Leafs in the first place (he has final decision on who takes the 23 roster spots)

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1049716916003192832

Dr. Mike

 

[cabber24]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1049716916003192832

Dr. Mike

I hope he sucks and peaks in the playoffs and signs a wonderfully low cap hit long-term contract and then becomes the 60 plus point player we hope he can be.

 

[Guilt Trip]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1049716916003192832

Dr. Mike

I hope he sucks and peaks in the playoffs and signs a wonderfully low cap hit long-term contract and then becomes the 60 plus point player we hope he can be.

If he sucks or keeps playing like he has, he'll be on the Marlies and won't be with us in the playoffs.

 

[cabber24]

https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1049716916003192832

Dr. Mike

I hope he sucks and peaks in the playoffs and signs a wonderfully low cap hit long-term contract and then becomes the 60 plus point player we hope he can be.

If he sucks or keeps playing like he has, he'll be on the Marlies and won't be with us in the playoffs.

I highly doubt that he won't be on our roster come playoff time. My point is maybe not having the best year during a contract year may get us a discount. I think we all think he's better then he has been this season to date.

In my early cap projections for next year, I had him and Kappi coming in at around $4M. He's working that number down.