Pre-Season Game 2
Montreal Canadiens VS Toronto Maple Leafs
Game two is a go, tonight at 5pm Saskatchewan time. God, I hate time zones. The Leafs will be icing their second team, who is notably sans Mathews. Which is not a big deal, guy is recovering from wrist surgery. Hopefully he does get into at least two pre-season games. It gives more opportunity to the wingers battling it out for the top spots though.
Montreal is following suit and icing a very interesting top line for tonight’s game. Not being a Habs fan the rest of the names on the lineup could be fake, for what I know. Which is exciting in itself,
will be fun to spot any future Canadiens amongst the names.
Drouin - Dvorak – Anderson
Drouin made some bold decisions last year regarding his mental health, I wish him the best. I hope that he can really get out of the gate hot this year and progress into what he was professed to be at his draft.
Anderson is always a pain in the ass to play, I hope he gets a chance to meet Ritchie tonight.
And Dvorak will be fun to finally see live.
It makes for a good opportunity to find a top LW that can neutralize them as well as create chances.
Leafs:
Ritchie-Brooks-Marner
Brooks has LARGE shoes to fill, but he is deserving of a shot to show what he can do with top-line minutes. He had a solid showing last year on the fourth line with Spezza. Not as defensive as Hyman, but potential for more offensive upside. Probably a Marlies season ahead.
Ritchie has me curious. I am a sucker for a home-town product (Southern Ontario is Leafs land) add in a big frame and rumours of soft hands. I am rooting for him to take the top line LW spot. Big chance for him tonight.
Nylander set the bar high on Saturday night, Marner needs to look just as dominant. The talk from camp is that he looks ready to take another step. Here is to hoping, win us back Mitch. It won’t take much.
Gusev-Kampf-Kase
Just a whole heap of fun. Three new faces. A Russian and two Czechs. There is no way all three make them team… I think. Maybe room for two.
Kampf is the front runner, it seems like Keefe and Dubas have specific plans for Kampf and his Defensive game. Never seen him play, hope he is fast.
Kase is probably a lock for the opening night, but by no means a guarantee. I feel he may excel under the Leafs structure more so than Boston’s.
Gusev is an absolute mystery, just bouncing around the league. Solid first year but crickets since. The Leafs place an emphasis on making players feel at home. Hopefully Gusev just needs to feel more at home, Nick Antropov to the rescue!
(Antropov has been hired by the Leafs to be a delegate almost to the Russian players.)
Mikheyev-Semyonov-Simmonds
Nothing miraculous, will be nice to see Simmonds on the ice. WITH FANS. He will be ready to go tonight for sure.
Hopefully the Wrists of Soup and Simmonds are healed and weaponised again.
Seney-SDA-Anderson
Sure, a lot of far-off projects. Back-to-back games for Seney and SDA, quality learning time.
Douglas
Surprised he isn’t in the line-up, maybe I am just salivating over his huge frame to much.
Rielly-Dermott
Dahlstrom-Holl
Rubins-Menell
Kivihalme-Villenueve
A couple interesting projects, a couple Leaf starters. Villenueve just signed a 3-year entry level deal, he should be flying out there.
Overall just a pre-season game for the defense core
Campbell
Mrazek
The Tandem is getting the start! New Mrazek mask! Our collective love Jack Campbell back between the pipes, WITH FANS! No wave this time, CAMP – BELL chants!
Another game with fans, another game I am excited for! Leafs vs Habs is good no matter what so hopefully it lives up to the billing! Go Leafs Go!