The Maple Leafs host the New Jersey Devils tonight at Scotiabank Arena and Toronto heads into the game dealing with injuries to key players.
William Nylander will miss a second straight game with a lower-body injury. He is considered day-to-day.
Auston Matthews is a game-time decision with a lower-body injury. He blocked a shot against the Red Wings on Sunday.
Defenceman Chris Tanev is also out with a lower-body injury. It’s an injury that is not related to the one that caused him to miss 23 games this season. Tanev is being evaluated.
Head coach Craig Berube was asked if there is a level of concern with injuries piling up.
“There is. But I want to wait and hear first. I don’t want to jump to conclusions,” he told reporters.
That’s not all.
Forward Dakota Joshua remained in Detroit following a kidney injury he incurred against the Red Wings on Sunday.
“Whether he took a hit or went into the boards, his kidney. He’s got blood and everything. We got to see where he’s at,” Berube said.
Joshua’s injury is of particular concern. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in the summer of 2024 and had surgery in November of last year.
“Everybody needs to step up for sure,” Berube said.
“We need a real strong team game, that’s the bottom line. I think guys are feeling good, obviously we have built some moment and have things going in the right direction.”
“You can’t feel sorry for yourself. You can’t make excuses. We need individuals to step up and play some of their best hockey.”
“Our team game needs to be solid,” John Tavares said.
“It’s an opportunity for guys for expanded roles.”
Does this hurt the momentum of a team that has picked up five of a possible six points in the last three games?
“That’s our choice in here,” Tavares explained.
“We need to continue to build off the good things we’ve been doing, continue to work on the things that need to get better and whatever the challenges are you face them head on. It’s a choice mentally to go out there continue to build on the things we’ve been doing well and earning results every night.”
“You continually focus on bringing energy and compete, that’s what comes first,” forward Bobby McMann said.
“When you’re competing hard, having that attention to detail, everything else falls into place, and continue to work and trust the guy next to you is going to do his job and he’s going to do it well.”
“With our team structure we can fall back on our work ethic playing as a team, as a group,” forward Steve Lorentz said.
“When you start to see results you just get a little bit more confident. When you are playing with confidence that’s when you’re feeling your best,” Lorentz added.
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With the injuries, the Leafs recalled defenceman Matt Benning and forward Jacob Quillan from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
Benning is not expected to play tonight, but Quillan could get in if Matthews is unable to play. At morning skate, Quillan was slotted on the fourth line with Calle Jarnkrok and Lorentz.
Quillan got the call Monday to be ready for possible action today. The Marlies left yesterday for a game in Cleveland.
The 23 year-old Quillan leads the Marlies in scoring this season with five goals and 18 assists in 26 games.
“I’m a little more comfortable with the system and the guys,” Quillan said this morning.
He has gotten into two games with the Maple Leafs this season.
“I wanted to play well down there, build some confidence and bring it up here and show what I can do,” he said Tuesday.
“I love Quillan’s energy and speed,” Berube said.
“I think he’s getting close to being an NHL player and a full-time one with his ability he has. It’s a good opportunity for him tonight.”
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At 416 career goals, Matthews sits four back of tying Mats Sundin for the franchise’s all-time lead at 420.
It’s not lost on Devils coach Sheldon Keefe what Matthews is about to do. As Maple Leafs bench boss for five seasons, Keefe saw first-hand what Matthews was capable of.
“It’s his rightful place,” Keefe said this morning.
“Auston has earned it. The evidence is there.”
“It’s a great story. I mean a kid from Scottsdale, Arizona comes in to the Toronto Maple Leafs, of all places, and has such an achievement it’s tremendous,” Keefe said.
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Leafs lines during morning skate ahead of facing Devils:
Knies-Tavares-Domi
Cowan-Roy-Robertson
Maccelli-Laughton-McMann
Lorentz-Quillan-Jarnkrok
Matthews (lower-body) is game-time decision
Joshua is out with an upper-body injury
Rielly-Myers
McCabe-OEL
Benoit-Stecher
Extra: Benning, Carlo
Out: Tanev
Woll the projected starter
Hildeby
Devils lines (courtesy of @JamesNicholsNHL)
Meier–Hischier–Mercer
Palat–Hughes–Bratt
Gritsyuk–Glass–Brown
Cotter–Glendening–Noesen
Siegenthaler–Hamilton
L. Hughes– Pesce
Dillon–White
Markstrom
Allen
