The Toronto Maple Leafs will play the Boston Bruins for the first time this season, tonight at the Air Canada Centre (which I will always and forever refer to the Leafs arena as).
Weirdly, the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t played the Bruins since Sheldon Keefe has been their coach, even though we are over 10% into his third season with the team.
I heard this on the radio the other day, and I didn’t think it could be true, so I double checked and it is. The Leafs have played every team with Keefe except Boston, Washington and the new Seattle Kraken.
I can’t say I missed playing Boston, though I do love watching Ovechkin play.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston
Petr Mrazek has re-injured his groin and will be (one assumes) going back on the IR. The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Joseph Woll to back-up tonight’s starter, Jack Campbell.
Campbell is coming off an unreal performance Thursday against Tampa where he completely stole the game for the Leafs and outdueled the best goalie in the world.
The Leafs will be looking to make it a trifecta of victories against three of the NHL’s best teams in a row, while winning their fifth overall. Boston will have something to say about that, I’m sure, but the Leafs are the better team overall and should no longer be considered the underdog against the Bruins.
The gambling odds seem to agree with me here.
Boston has won two in a row, and recently became the first team to beat the Florida Panthers, which they did Thursday in a shoot-out.
In other news, the Toronto Maple Leafs are parting ways with skating coach Barb Underhill, who has been credited with several NHL success stories, according to the Toronto Sun. She will obviously be missed.
Also, Jack Campbell may or may not be starting contract negotiations. Honestly, it’s only going to get more expensive from here, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to lock him down if possible. A short team deal that allows him to make huge money if he’s the real deal is probably what’s best.
I’d offer him one year at $4 million just to bridge the gap until the cap goes up and the Toronto Maple Leafs can pay him properly.
Tonight’s lineup should be pretty much the same as Thursday’s, unless Dermott sits for Justin Holl, which I don’t think is happening.