After coming off a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes last time out, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue their five-game homestand tonight with a couple of additions to the lineup as they seek another win against a red-hot New York Rangers team.
Newly acquired (again) defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin will make his Toronto Maple Leafs debut 2.0 tonight after being traded to Toronto late Thursday night from the Anaheim Ducks following their win over the Coyotes. The 29-year-old blue-liner was traded to Toronto in February 2022 in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes and found a home on a pairing with Morgan Rielly, who will likely be his partner for the time being unless Brad Treliving acquires a legit top-four right-shot defenseman ahead of Friday’s trade deadline. However, Lyubushkin isn’t the only addition to the lineup tonight.
After missing the last 13 games due to a broken knuckle sustained in practice in late January, Calle Jarnkrok is set to return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup as Toronto looks to continue their hot stretch against the Rangers. Jarnkrok, who was having another productive season before landing on LTIR, will look to get back into the swing of things in his first game back in the lineup.
He skated in just 46 games with Toronto before suffering the broken knuckle, scoring ten goals and adding nine assists for 19 points, putting him on an 82-game pace of 34 points (18 goals and 16 assists).
With Jarnkrok’s return looming over the past week, speculation on where he’d slot in the lineup was starting to be a topic of conversation. Was he going to come in and replace Bobby McMann, Nick Robertson, or someone on the fourth line? The answer is Nick Robertson, as expected.
Jarnkrok was skating on a line with Bobby McMann and John Tavares and will be the projected third line tonight against the Rangers.
Pregame details:
Toronto Maple Leafs’ lineup:
Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
Tyler Bertuzzi – Max Domi – William Nylander
Bobby McMann – John Tavares – Calle Jarnkrok
Pontus Holmberg – David Kampf – Ryan Reaves
Morgan Rielly – Ilya Lyubushkin
TJ Brodie – Jake McCabe
Simon Benoit – William Lagesson
One lineup note: Sheldon Keefe spoke to the media this morning, and after confirming both Calle Jarnkrok (broken knuckle) and newly acquired Ilya Lyubushkin will play tonight against the New York Rangers, Timothy Liljegren (day-to-day) will be a game-time decision. If he can go, he’ll likely replace William Lagesson.
Per Sheldon Keefe:
🏒 Ilya Lyubushkin makes Leafs debut 2.0 tonight alongside Morgan Rielly
🏒 Timothy Liljegren is a game-time decision
🏒 Calle Jarnkrok will return to the lineup @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 2, 2024
New York Rangers’ lineup:
Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Kaapo Kakko
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle – Jonny Brodzinski – Jimmy Vesey
Adam Edstrom – Barclay Goodrow – Matt Rempe
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Trouba
Erik Gustafsson – Braden Schneider
Projected goalies:
Ilya Samsonov (TOR) vs Igor Shesterkin (NYR)
Despite earning a 30-save win in his first game back from his high-ankle sprain, Joseph Woll will not be tonight’s starter. Instead, it will be Ilya Samsonov, with Sheldon Keefe confirming the decision yesterday after their practice.
Broadcast:
Sportsnet, 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT
(Stats from hockey-reference.com)
(Projected lineups from dailyfaceoff.com)
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