It has taken a lot longer than many expected, but for the first time tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils will take on one another as both teams continue their final stretch of the regular season.
The Maple Leafs have been dealing with many different injuries and illnesses on forward and defence for the past couple of weeks. And, as they get ready to host the Devils tonight, they’ll be without another regular blue liner and could be without a second one.
According to Sheldon Keefe’s post-practice presser this morning, defenseman Joel Edmundson is day-to-day with an injury, and there’s a chance the 30-year-old blue-liner won’t play this week at all.
Sheldon Keefe on Joel Edmundson:
“I wouldn’t expect him this week”
Leafs host Washington on Thursday & play in Buffalo on Saturday @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 26, 2024
The blue line just got Ilya Lyubushkin and Conor Timmins back from illness. But now, it takes another hit after losing the newly acquired Edmundson for tonight and likely the following two games against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night and the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.
But Keefe didn’t stop there. Edmundson wasn’t the only defenseman absent from morning skate. Morgan Rielly wasn’t seen on the ice, and Keefe had an update for the longest-tenured Toronto Maple Leaf, stating that he, as well, is dealing with an injury. But fortunately, Rielly is listed as a game-time decision after the head coach said he hasn’t been ruled out entirely for tonight’s contest.
Sheldon Keefe says Morgan Rielly is dealing with a minor injury & hasn’t been ruled out of tonight’s game @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 26, 2024
Despite the new injury news about two of Toronto’s regular defensemen, Keefe did have a positive update on Mitch Marner, who has been sidelined with a high-ankle sprain.
A smiling Sheldon Keefe says Mitch Marner has gone from “day-to-day from being day-to-day” to just “day-to-day”
Possible he takes part in practice tomorrow @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 26, 2024
After being called “day-to-day” from being “day-to-day”, Mitch Marner is officially listed as day-to-day, and according to Mark Masters’ post above, there is a possibility the winger will take part in practice tomorrow.
Pregame details:
Toronto Maple Leafs’ lineup:
Tyler Bertuzzi – Auston Matthews – Max Domi
Bobby McMann – John Tavares – William Nylander
Matthew Knies – Pontus Holmberg – Nick Robertson
Connor Dewar – David Kampf – Noah Gregor
Jake McCabe – Timothy Liljegren
TJ Brodie – Ilya Lyubushkin
Simon Benoit – Conor Timmins
One lineup note: Without Edmundson and the potential to be without Rielly, the blue line will look slightly different and feature some new-look pairings again. If Rielly cannot go, it seems the Benoit-McCabe pairing will be broken up, moving McCabe to the top pair with Liljegren and having Benoit alongside Timmins on the third pair. Lyubushkin, who has been Rielly’s partner, could be playing on the second pair with Rielly’s old partner, Brodie.
New Jersey Devils’ lineup:
Timo Meier – Nico Hischier – Jesper Bratt
Jack Hughes – Erik Haula – Alexander Holtz
Ondrej Palat – Tomas Nosek – Dawson Mercer
Maxwell Willman – Chris Tierney – Curtis Lazar
Kevin Bahl – John Marino
Luke Hughes – Nick DeSimone
Brendan Smith – Simon Nemec
Projected goalies:
Joseph Woll (TOR) vs Jake Allen (NJ)
After starting in Carolina on Sunday night, posting a 41-save performance in a narrow 2-1 loss, Joseph Woll has been confirmed as tonight’s starter, with Martin Jones on the bench to back him up.
Broadcast:
TSN4, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT
(Stats from hockey-reference.com)
(Projected lineups from dailyfaceoff.com)