New Jersey Devils @ Toronto Maple Leafs
07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena
Watch on: SNO, MSG

The Leafs last game was away on December 28 against the Detroit Red Wings, which Toronto lost by a score of 3-2 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 17-15-6 for a 0.526 Points %.

The New Jersey Devils last played at home on December 27 against the Washington Capitals. The Devils lost by a score of 4-3 in overtime, and their current league record is 20-16-2 for a 0.553 Points %.

Them

This is the first of a back-to-back for the Devils, who have not really been bedeviling the east the way you might expect. They have some injuries, none all that notable, although two of them are depth defenders.

Their roster roster looks like what you get when a team ages and they hang onto every mid-ranked player as they decline. Except they chose them on purpose. If they had Evgenii Dadonov who has been hurt (with an undisclosed injury) they'd really look like a team full of guys who used to be good. Even Dougie Hamilton isn't what he was.

It almost makes you wonder if the rising cap and the trend to re-sign really good players means this is what's out there to acquire when you need someone.

The Devils are yet another one of those 50% teams – either Corsi or Expected Goals or both are within a point of 50 at five-on-five. Their power play xG rate is excellent, they score way under expected and become mediocre. Their PK is not very good, and they allow a lot of goals shorthanded making taking penalties their biggest weakness, as their team Save % is at least average in all situations.

Jake Allen is their better goalie again this season. Jacob Markström isn't awful, he's just mildly below average.

They are bedeviled this season by an extremely low Sh% that lies pretty convincingly about the team's offensive abilities. It's not entirely the roster quality, and they are better than their record by a small amount.

Lines

Amanda Stein via Daily Faceoff from yesterday's practice.

Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Dawson Mercer
Ondrej Palat - Jack Hughes - Jesper Bratt
Arseny Gritsyuk - Cody Glass - Connor Brown
Paul Cotter - Luke Glendening - Stefan Noesen

Jonas Siegenthaler - Dougie Hamilton
Luke Hughes - Brett Pesce
Brenden Dillon - Colton White

Jacob Markström - likely starter
Jake Allen

Us

Whoever can walk will play, that seems to be the roster setup for today. I knew that Auston Matthews was not right after taking the puck to the leg in the last game. He was way off in OT.

Brandon Carlo once again participated in morning skate – he is still on IR.

From David Alter

Leafs PP units at skate Dec. 30/25

Rielly
Maccelli, Knies, Domi
Tavares

OEL
Cowan, McMann, Robertson
Roy

Lines

From Morning Skate:

Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Max Domi
Easton Cowan - Nic Roy - Nick Robertson
Matias Maccelli - Scott Laughton - Bobby McMann
Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok

Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers
Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher

Joe Woll - starter
Dennis Hildeby

The Game

It's not certain Matthews won't play, but they did recall a centre.

Do the best you can with what you have – which is always the way.

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