The Toronto Maple Leafs might be shorthanded for tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will face the Montreal Canadiens at home, late in the season, on a Saturday night, and, for the first time in years, maybe since the Leafs were moved to the Eastern Conference, both teams are relevant.
Both teams are contenders.
With the inter-divisional four point game rule in effect, the Leafs could end the night five points up on Montreal with a regulation win, or only a single point up on them with a regulation loss.
So it’s a big game.
And the Toronto Maple Leafs will possibly be without two of their best players.
Nazem Kadri is injured with a concussion which he suffered in the first period of Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. The Leafs moved WIlliam Nylander to centre to fill the void left by Kadri, and Nylander performed admirably.
That does not, however, mean that the Leafs won’t miss Kadri. Nylander may be just as good at centre, but it ultimately leaves the Leafs down a superstar winger.
As for Jake Gardiner, his absence is at this moment, a mystery. All we know is that it was widely reported that he missed yesterday’s practice.
Optional skate for Leafs, but Jake Gardiner is on the ice after missing yesterday's practice for a maintenance day
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 23, 2019
If he’s going out for the optional skate, then I think it’s a good chance that he’ll play. If the Toronto Maple Leafs are out both Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri, they’ll be hard-pressed to defeat the Habs, who are a strong team.
The Canadiens are one team that no one wants to play in the playoffs because of the Carey Price factor. Price is one of the best goalies in NHL history, and he can personally win a series on his own. Not that Frederik Andersen couldn’t do that, but Price is just on another level.
Facing Montreal would be a nightmare matchup for the Leafs. I think they’d be heavily favored, and that people would be expecting an easy Leafs win, but that Price would tip the scales. The hype would astronomical and I think it would actually be much easier for Toronto to face Boston, a team that is slower and has a worse goalie.
Obviously not everyone is going to agree with that, but the Bruins are an older team, and the Leafs can skate circles around them. Montreal matches up to Toronto’s speed a lot better.
Either way, I think the Toronto Maple Leafs will crush whoever they play in the first round, but I prefer a Toronto / Boston math-up.
Hopefully Jake Gardiner at least plays tonight.