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Toronto Maple Leafs Look to Lay Beating on the Senators

By James Tanner

Sep 24, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev (22) skates with the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs center Pontus Holmberg (29) gives chase during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev (22) skates with the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs center Pontus Holmberg (29) gives chase during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without Auston Matthews when they take on the Ottawa Senators later tonight.

The Toronto Maple Leafs best player will be out at least three weeks with a knee sprain that he sustained the other night against the Rangers.

The star centre will be missed, but since the rest of the season is just waiting around to play Tampa, it doesn’t matter too much and in fact may be quite helpful.

Matthews can heal, rest up, and return in time to help the Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

In the meantime, Sheldon Keefe promoted Pontus Holmberg to take Tavares’ spot on the second line (he moves up to replace Matthews) and that is exciting.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs the Senators

I’ll probably just do up an entire post for Holmberg later, but he’s been a pleasant surprise this year and he’s fast and smart, and he’s got a lot more skill than people might realize since he was a sixth rounder.

That’s the thing about the Leafs though – they draft for raw talent and intelligence, and eventually they are going to start hitting on late picks.  Holmberg probably won’t end up being a star, but it’s not impossible, and for a sixth rounder picked 4 years ago, that’s saying a lot.

The Leafs are going to go with Matt Murray, and I think that is a mistake.  They don’t play tomorrow, and I think they should be going with Samsonov in both games because he’s basically been one of the best goalies in the NHL this year and has stolen the  crease.

I wouldn’t be against getting back Murray’s cap hit and making Erik Kalgren the fulltime backup, that’s how much of a Samsonov fan I am.

It’s Murray vs the Senators with no Auston Matthews.  The Toronto Maple Leafs are tied for second place in the entire NHL and their reward is going to be the team that has gone to three straight Stanley Cup Finals.

Meanwhile, each of the 13 other teams (Toronto, Tampa and whoever gets Boston being excepted) will get an easier opponent, including most teams who barely make the playoffs.

Sounds fair.

Next. Leafs Could Target the One Who Got Away. dark

The Senators are only six games out of last overall and should have a nice shot at Connor Bedard this summer. For tonight, they’ll be happy to lose by six goals or less.

Enjoy!

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