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A barely shaken up Maple Leafs roster has the unenviable job of slowing down the surging Vancouver Canucks on Saturday evening.
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Marlies call-up Bobby McMann will substitute proper winger Ryan Reaves on the fourth line whereas defenceman John Klingberg returns to the blueline because the Leafs full a back-to-back towards the rested Canucks.
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Klingberg received some reduction from a stretch of woeful play by sitting out Friday’s 5-4 shootout win over Calgary with what coach Sheldon Keefe mentioned was due partially to unspecified nagging accidents. However Keefe cleared the newcomer after a Saturday workforce assembly, with Simon Benoit sitting out.
It’s the final recreation earlier than Toronto takes off for per week in Sweden and two video games towards the Minnesota Wild and Detroit Crimson Wings as a part of the NHL’s International Collection.
“We’ve appreciated Bobby for awhile,” Keefe mentioned. “His coaching camp was disrupted by a knee damage. However we like the scale and velocity he brings and enjoying in a back-to-back towards a workforce reminiscent of Vancouver he will help us.”
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In 10 video games final yr, McMann had one help however it was not for lack of making an attempt to attain on many shut probabilities.
“He was throughout the puck on the forecheck, too,” Keefe mentioned. “His biggest asset, is addition to his velocity and to generate scoring probabilities is (potential) to get on the puck first on the forecheck.”
Reaves is an unsightly team-worst minus 11, although Keefe says that quantity doesn’t inform the total story and he stays solidly in his Reaves’ nook as a deterrent towards different groups taking liberties with the Leafs.
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This could be essentially the most worry a go to by the Canucks has generated right here because the Sedin Twins have been on the peak of their powers. Coach Rick Tocchet has his workforce second within the Pacific Division to the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, with a report of 10-2-1 and a objective differential of plus 33, greatest within the league.
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The Leafs, already with a franchise futility report of eight straight house video games to start out a season permitting 4 or extra objectives, should trot out a drained defence. And hope goaltender Ilya Samsonov can hold the workforce – and himself – composed as Joseph Woll is slated to get an evening off after Calgary stretched his workload.
The Canucks look to proceed a profitable three-game Japanese journey, a lot completely different than when their report made previous journey very arduous. After lacking the playoffs seven of the previous eight years, Scarborough-born coach Rick Tocchet is getting outcomes. Ahead Elias Petterssen and defenceman Quinn Hughes are high 5 in NHL scoring as of Saturday, Hughes’s 21 factors tied for fifth with Toronto’s William Nylander.
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“It’s good to come back again and good whenever you’re successful, too,” mentioned Tocchet, whose workforce is in Montreal Sunday. “There’s a little further juice for Toronto.”
The Canucks have purchased into Tocchet’s plan after he changed Bruce Boudreau, making modifications to recreation preparation whereas the hockey workplace swapped out a lot of the defence.
“Accountability begins with the gamers. It’s onerous for the coach to all the time be of their ear,” Tocchet mentioned. “I give them quite a lot of credit score, they know deal with stuff when issues are going a little bit bit haywire.”
Tocchet says he’s happy some Canucks have come to him expressing concern if their recreation is missing, versus him in search of them out. He’s additionally picked up on welcome bench chatter of gamers admonishing one another for not being onerous sufficient on pucks.
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One among his key newcomers is Sam Lafferty, a backside six ahead the Leafs moved on from to make room for rookie Fraser Minten on the opening evening roster. Minten was ultimately returned to junior after a number of video games whereas the Leafs are solely now discovering a 3rd line that works and nonetheless searching for a totally efficient fourth.
“A giant pick-up for us,” Tocchet mentioned of Lafferty. “Heavy man on the forecheck. Our scouting report was that he was a very good skater, however I didn’t know he was that good by the impartial zone.
“He’s solely been right here a month and guys love him. If you add a man that 24 others love, you already know you’re getting character. He’s bounced round, however this may very well be a spot he hangs round. I really like Laffs, he’s a participant we’d like.”
Thatcher Demko, one other large a part of the Canucks’ story up to now, begins in objective.
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