After a few days off, your Toronto Maple Leafs will host the terrible Columbus Blue Jackets at the ACC this evening.
Coming off of a less than spectacular, but hard fought, Western road trip the Leafs will need to continue with an attention to detail and get timely saves from starting goaltender, James Reimer.
With the announcement of James van Reimsdyk being out 6-8 weeks, young Josh Leivo will be looking to have some statement games in the interim. The Marlies third leading scorer was called up earlier this week, after JVR was put on the IR.
Leivo, an AHL All-Star invitee, has accumulated 30 points in 35 games thus far in his Marlies season (11G). This will be the third NHL stint for Leivo. The young native of Innifsil, Ontario has 2 goals in 16 games in his two call-ups with the Leafs in prior outings.
When asked what Leivo needs to do to stay in the NHL he responded “Just keep playing the way I have been playing. I’ve been doing well down there so I just have to bring my game up to here and play well.”
Leivo’s strong suit is his NHL calibre shot, ability to retrieve pucks in the offensive zone and create havoc in front of the net. I look forward to seeing what Mike Babcock can do with the progression in Leivo’s game as he continues to his progression into professional hockey.
Leafs are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games, while Columbus is 3-6-1 over the same duration and have lost their last 4 games in a row.
PROJECTED LINES
MAPLE LEAFS
Shawn Matthias – Tyler Bozak – PA Parenteau
Michael Grabner – Nazem Kadri – Leo Komarov
Daniel Winnik – Peter Holland – Joffrey Lupul
Josh Leivo – Byron Froese – Brad Boyes
Jake Gardiner – Dion Phaneuf
Martin Marincin – Morgan Rielly
Matt Hunwick – Roman Polak
James Reimer
BLUE JACKETS
Kerby Rychel – Brandon Dubinsky – Josh Anderson
Scott Hartnell – Alexander Wennberg – Brandon Saad
Boone Jenner – William Karlsson – Cam Atkinson
Rene Bourque – Gregory Campbell – Jared Boll
Ryan Murray – Seth Jones
Jack Johnson – David Savard
Cody Goloubef – Justin Falk
Joonas Korpisalo
BABCOCK
