Toronto Maple Leafs Get a Big Bump Ahead of Vegas Game

Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs game tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights will be going ahead as scheduled.

These days, you never know – but the Toronto Maple Leafs will take on a fellow Cup Contender tonight in Las Vegas.

The Leafs are cooking right now, coming off a decent game (considering the elevation, the refs and the lack of Mitch Marner) against Colorado on Saturday and have picked up points in nine of their last ten games.

Not too shabby!

Toronto Maple Leafs vs the Golden Knights

The Golden Knights had a bit of a rough start to the season, but they are back in first place in the Pacific where pretty much everyone guessed they eventually would be.

The Leafs – who won’t have Marner  again tonight – are taking on the Knights at a good time, since they are missing both Max Pacioretty and Jack Eichel, two of the very best players in the entire NHL.

In fact, it’s downright scary to think about how good the Golden Knights might be if they ever get to dress their best roster.  The Leafs are also yet to dress their best roster, but that’s basically a technicality as they have played plenty of games featuring all of their best players.

Speaking of which, the Toronto Maple Leafs will likely get Ondrej Kase back for tonight’s game. He is a game time decision, but it’s looking good.  The Leafs will be without the aforementioned Mitch Marner and also Rasmus Sandin, both of whom are in the Covid Protocol.

Campbell will start for the Leafs, with Robin Lehner likely to go for the Knights.

The Leafs have fallen to third in the Atlantic, but only because they’ve hardly played any games lately.  Tampa currently has played four more times than the Leafs, and Florida has played three more times.

If you think that is crazy, the Golden Knights have played 10 more games than the New York Islanders.  Anyways, the Leafs are fourth by points percentage and are hot streak dating back to October.

Tonight’s game should be excellent, and afterwards the Leafs will travel to Arizona where Auston Matthews will play in his hometown against the lowly Coyotes and former Leafs Legend Phil Kessel.

After that it’s back on the road to St .Louis for Saturday’s game. Note that the following Monday game that was scheduled against the Devils (and possible future Leaf Damon Severson) has been postponed.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not scheduled to play in Toronto until a game against Anaheim on January 26th.