Toronto Maple Leafs @ Detroit Red Wings
7:00 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena
Watch on: SN1, BSDET

The Leafs are sending this group across the bridge today:

Easton Cowan and Nikita Grebenkin have another chance to make a positive impression. The two PTO players Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz are also in the squad. Calle Järnkrok, who sustained a minor injury, is back. And of course Nick Robertson is there.

Cowan has played every game so far, Robertson and Grebenkin have only missed one. Pontus Holmberg, who won this game, and Jacob Quillan, who is in the squad, are also represented more often than most other players with three games already played. I think we can imagine the Leafs taking a close look at all center options there.

The defense is very AHL-heavy and fortunately the Leafs opt to play Topi Niemelä in this game. After the controversy on social media the last time he sat out the game, everyone should react calmly and sensibly. He is even represented on the top power play, where he can use his key skills.

lines

The actual lines are a mystery so far, but the power play units tell part of the story.

Detroit

As usual, the home team fields a more serious squad. This year there have been some of the usual preseason discussions, and the most amazing thing about it is that people saw this as something new, where the home team had some real players and the away team sent out their prospects and AHL players to play against Fighting windmills. This is not a new phenomenon. This is exactly why the Veterans Rule exists, and it’s over a decade old.

Lines by Ansar Khan

DeBrincat-Larkin-Raymond
Tarasenko-Kasper-Kane
Rasmussen-Copp Fischer
Berggren-Veleno moth

Edvinsson Seider
Chiarot Petry
Maatta Holl

Cam Talbot plays the entire game
Ville Husso

Kasper is Marco Kasper their 8th overall in 2022.

The game

The last time the Marlies played the Red Wings in Detroit was the final preseason game last year, which the Wings won 5-4. Fraser Minten leads Leafs in shots; Miko Kokkonen looked fantastic in defense; Nick Robertson had a very good game and Joe Woll didn’t.

Was any of this indicative of the regular season? Not really.

This may be the last game between Cowan and Grebenkin – although the Leafs may want to hold back some stars for Saturday and give these two another chance at a home game. But it’s a great opportunity to make an impression. Nothing else matters.