The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to snap an awful four-game losing streak against the Minnesota Wild and will need to do so without Colton Sissons and Chris Tanev.
The injuries continue to pile up for the Maple Leafs, who have announced that Sissons will be placed on IR and that Tanev is going to be scratched tonight for planned maintenance. Which is something that Tanev doesn't agree with or support. However, he has to accept it. As a result of this, Toronto has called up Brendan Brisson from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.
Maple Leafs' projected lineup
Easton Cowan -- Auston Matthews -- Jack Roslovic
Ryan Tverberg -- John Tavares -- William Nylander
Gavin McKenna -- Nick Paul -- Dakota Joshua
Brandon Duhaime -- Teddy Blueger -- Zack MacEwen
Jake McCabe -- Darren Raddysh
Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Troy Stecher
Dakota Mermis -- Cole McWard
Anthony Stolarz
Sergei Bobrovsky
Scratched: Chris Tanev
Injured: Max Domi (undisclosed), Kirill Marchenko (lower body), Marshall Rifai (lower body), Nick Blankenburg (upper body), Jack Roslovic (lower body), Morgan Rielly (lower body), Colton Sissons (lower body)
The Maple Leafs need a win against the Wild
The Maple Leafs have been decimated with injuries in the last few weeks, and with no significant help on the way, they turn to yet another AHL forward to try and help them. Brisson, 24, has played for both the New York Rangers and the Vegas Golden Knights over this career, appearing in 27 games and scoring two goals and seven assists.
This is his first crack at the NHL this season, which is well deserved after he had a good start to the AHL season with the aforementioned Marlies. In 14 games, he has scored eight goals and nine assists and now looks to carry that play forward to the NHL with the Maple Leafs. An interesting note: he is the son of well-known NHL agent Pat Brisson. He represents both John Tavares and Gavin McKenna, who is someone that Brisson could be line mates with, if and when he draws into the lineup
As of right now, there is no official word on if Brisson will be in the lineup tonight. It seems to depend on if Zack MacEwen needs to take a night off after leaving the game on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. That said, we have learned that the aforementioned Tanev is going to be out of the lineup tonight for what the Maple Leafs call "planned maintenance." This was something that Tanev has been vocal about not agreeing with and does not support. In a recent interview with the media, he didn't sugarcoat how he truly felt about it.
"“I don’t agree with it, but I understand where he’s (Leafs GM John Chayka) coming from. I haven’t really been healthy for the last year, so I think he wants me to be able to play in January and February and March,” Tanev said. “I guess being available during that stretch will benefit the team, and I do think John wants what’s best for me too as well.”"Tanev
As a result of Tanev being out of the lineup, Cole McWard will draw in and play his second game of the season on the third pairing with Dakota Mermis. Which didn't look great on Sunday night against the New Jersey Devils.
Nevertheless, the Maple Leafs need to bring their best effort. Their top players need to continue playing like they are, which includes William Nylander, who has been in the headlines for his lack of production the last week or so.
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