Tonight's Toronto Maple Leafs game is going to be a lot more intersting than your typical mid-season fare.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be taking on the Utah Hockey Club in a rare Sunday night game, but it's not because it's the first time the Leafs will be taking on the Former Phoenix Coyotes franchise that has everyone talking.
What's got everyone talking is the debut of Alex Nylander who the Leafs signed to an AHL contract in the summer and who they just called up and signed on Friday. The younger Nylander - also a former 8th overall pick - will make his Leafs debut and the two brothers will play their first pro game together.
After a near point-per-game run with the Columbus Blue Jackets to end last season, the younger Nylander has continued scoring in the AHL and has 8 goals and 12 points in 14 AHL games this season so far.
Nylander is expected to start on the third line with Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin.
2 x Nylanders and Robertson's Last Chance as Toronto Maple Leafs take on Utah
The Leafs injury list is pretty much so ridiculous at this point that all you can do is laugh and enjoy the opportunity to check out the club's depth/future. Auston Matthews will likely miss his 8th straight game tonight. plus Matthew Knies is out with a concussion, and Max Pacioretty's leg is messed up.
There are also less important injuries to Domi, Jarnrkok, Kampf and a suspension to Ryan Reaves. Seven of the team's 12 regular forwards are currently unavailable, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson is also day-to-day and questionable for tonight's game.
The Leafs injuries are crazy, but the thing that's so impressive is how many young players they've been able to seamlessly fit into their lineup. Players like Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin look, so far, like they should be on this team regularly.
As for NIck Robertson the guy is in one crazy slump. After being THE story of training camp he only has one goal and no assists on the season. The thing that's so crazy is that he isn't even playing badly. He has been producing chances and getting shots, but nothing goes in for him.
Robertson has also been hurt by having his three most common teammates be Pontus Holmberg, Simon Benoit and Conon Timmins. You just can't expect the offense to be there when the coach isn't giving him opportunities.
That said, with everyone injured no one is getting a better chance than Robertson. He's been moved up to the second line with Holmberg and Nylander and should get some power-play time. The Leafs are showing inelligence and patience here because he hasn't played that badly, but at the same time, it's hard to see him getting many more chances if he doesn't take advantage because this team clearly has lots and lots of options.
Joseph Woll is coming off a shutout, but I'd still expect Anthony Stolarz to play tonight. Should be a great game.