The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action this afternoon in their final game before the Christmas break. They return home after going 0-3 on their road trip and will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in their annual matinee game before the holidays. In the past, this has often been played against the Carolina Hurricanes and is typically considered the “Next Gem” game.
Related: Maple Leafs Fire Assistant Coach Marc Savard
But today’s matchup carries more emotion and pressure than in years past. The Maple Leafs sit in last place in the Atlantic Division, three points behind the Buffalo Sabres. Confidence is low, and this team looks drastically different than expected. The good news is that the Penguins have also struggled lately, so this could be exactly the game the Maple Leafs need before a few days off for the Christmas break.
Maple Leafs News
The Maple Leafs announced yesterday afternoon that they relieved assistant coach Marc Savard of his duties. Savard was best known for running the power play, which currently sits last in the NHL at just 13.3 percent. NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the team isn’t planning to look externally for a replacement at this time. They prefer to fill the role in-house. This is just the first domino to fall and may serve as a warning to the rest of the coaching staff. The team has struggled since the start of the season, and if things don’t improve, head coach Craig Berube could remain on the hot seat.
In other news, William Nylander drew attention with his postgame interview on Sunday night after a 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. He said, “I don’t know if I’ve felt like this before. If I’ve had a stretch like this.” That statement caught eyes, especially coming from a player who usually stays calm and collected. On Sunday, however, he openly showed frustration with both his own play and the team’s performance. It’s safe to say the next stretch of games after the Christmas break will be interesting.
Team Stats
Toronto Maple Leafs
Season Record: 15-15-5 (35 pts)
Divisional Rank: 8th in Atlantic
Top Scorers:
- William Nylander – 11 G, 25 A, 36 P
- John Tavares – 14 G, 17 A, 31 P
- Matthew Knies – 7 G, 22 A, 29 P
- Morgan Rielly – 5 G, 19 A, 24 P
- Auston Matthews – 14 G, 9 A, 23 P
Goalie Stats:
- Anthony Stolarz – 6-5-1, 3.51 GAA, .884 SV%
- Joseph Woll – 5-4-1, 2.46 GAA, .925 SV%
- Dennis Hildeby – 2-5-3, 1 SO, 2.96 GAA, .911 SV%
Pittsburgh Penguins
Season Record: 15-11-9 (39 pts)
Divisional Rank: 7th in Metro
Top Scorers:
- Sidney Crosby – 20 G, 17 A, 37 P
- Bryan Rust – 12 G, 17 A, 29 P
- Evgeni Malkin – 8 G, 21 A, 29 P
- Erik Karlsson – 3 G, 23 A, 26 P
- Anthony Mantha – 10 G, 12 A, 22 P
Goalie Stats:
- Stuart Skinner – 11-10-4, 2.94 GAA, .886 SV%
- Charlie Lindgren – 5-5-6, 3.22 GAA, .889 SV%
Projected Lineups
(Subject to change before puck drop)
4 p.m. ET; SNO, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX
Maple Leafs projected lineup
Matthew Knies — Auston Matthews — Max Domi
Matias Maccelli — John Tavares — William Nylander
Dakota Joshua — Scott Laughton — Steven Lorentz
Nicholas Robertson — Nicolas Roy — Bobby McMann
Morgan Rielly — Philippe Myers
Jake McCabe — Troy Stecher
Simon Benoit — Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Joseph Woll
Dennis Hildeby
Scratched: Easton Cowan, Calle Jarnkrok, Henry Thrun
Injured: Chris Tanev (upper body), Anthony Stolarz (upper body), Brandon Carlo (lower body), Dakota Mermis (lower body)
Penguins projected lineup
Rickard Rakell — Sidney Crosby — Bryan Rust
Justin Brazeau — Thomas Novak — Anthony Mantha
Ville Koivunen — Ben Kindel — Rutger McGroarty
Connor Dewar — Kevin Hayes — Noel Acciari
Parker Wotherspoon — Erik Karlsson
Brett Kulak — Kris Letang
Ryan Shea — Jack St. Ivany
Stuart Skinner
Arturs Silovs
Scratched: Danton Heinen, Ryan Graves, Connor Clifton
Injured: Evgeni Malkin (upper body), Caleb Jones (lower body), Filip Hallander (blood clot), Blake Lizotte (undisclosed)
