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# Preview: Wild in Toronto
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-wild-in-toronto/
- Published: 2026-01-19T17:14:12.000Z
- Updated: 2026-01-19T17:14:12.000Z
- Description: Prime game in Canada, so a 7:30 pm start time.
- Author: Cathy Squires
- Tags: Game Coverage

### Minnesota Wild @ Toronto Maple Leafs  
07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena  
Watch on: Prime, FDSNNO, FDSNWI

### 

The Leafs last game was away on January 17 against the Winnipeg Jets, which Toronto won by a score of 4-3 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 24-16-8 for a 0.583 Points %.

The Minnesota Wild last played away on January 17 against the Buffalo Sabres. The Wild won by a score of 5-4 in overtime, and their current league record is 27-13-9 for a 0.643 Points %.

### Them

The Wild recently suffered some injuries, so this isn't quite the full team today. They are missing Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, Jonas Brodin and Marcus Johansson.

The Wild are very strong in net and that stability and reliability gives Minnesota its strength in the face of adversity. They have the second best team Save % behind the Avalanche, and are virtually tied with the Islanders. By more advanced measures Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt are good to very good, not in the excellent position of the Islanders. They don't need to be better because the team has their backs. 

At five-on-five, the Wild are one of the 50% club, with 48% Corsi and 50% xG. Their rate of shots against has been their big weakness at times, and they'd be last in the NHL by that measure without Toronto to cushion them. They make for that problem a great deal by the quality of shots they allow – their 12th best in the NHL by that measure. But in that middle of the NHL area, there isn't a significant difference between them at 2.72 and Toronto (19th) at 2.8\. In other words, rankings can mislead by allowing you to assume significance when there isn't one.

What the Wild manage to do with these muddy middle numbers is shoot the puck more than you'd expect and improve on that a tiny amount with xG. 

Their power play averages out to be identical to the Leafs by rate of Expected Goals, but they have scored a little bit more. They allow a lot of quality shots shorthanded, like the Leafs do, but their goaltending helps a bit. 

So what is the difference between this team and the Leafs? One plays in the west, the other the east. 

#### Lines

Last Game (2026-01-17) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/minnesota-wild/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and the same as today's skate with a possible third pairing change.

Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello  
Yakov Trenin - Danila Yurov - Vladimir Tarasenko  
Marcus Foligno - Hunter Haight - Vinnie Hinostroza  
Ben Jones - Nico Sturm - Tyler Pitlick

Quinn Hughes - Brock Faber  
Jacob Middleton - Jared Spurgeon  
Daemon Hunt - David Jiricek

Filip Gustavsson - starter  
Jesper Wallstedt

### Us

> F Jacob Quillan has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
> 
> — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [January 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2013266840412144054?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

> Craig Berube on William Nylander's groin injury:   
>  
> "I don't know how long the timeline will be for him ... I'm not sure when he's going to be on the ice"[@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [January 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2013288310953693336?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

> Berube on Knies dealing with nagging injury:  
>  
> "It's obviously bothering him a lot for quite some time & hasn't gotten really that much better other than when he gets some breaks. Like Christmastime & stuff, he comes back & he feels better. It's an ongoing issue."[@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [January 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2013287796757115311?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

#### Lines

[From morning skate](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2013274866359623701?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) with Knies as a gametime decision, this is the group without him.

Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi  
Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Scott Laughton  
Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson  
Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok

Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo  
Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson  
Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher

Joe Woll - starter  
Dennis Hildeby

### The Game

The Leafs lost a game they had in the bag, and then won one they didn't "deserve" and have come home better than what most even hoped for, but still only on the threshold of having a postseason. 

Keep at it, that's the only way to cross that threshold.