Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators: GAME 1
Opposition SBN site: Silver Seven Sens
Time: 7:00 pm Eastern Time
Location: Canadian Tire Centre
Broadcast/Streaming: SN, TVAS
There are several storylines to follow going into tonight's match at Canadian Tire Center. Would you prefer the "Andersen vs. Anderson" storyline, wherein the new Leafs' goaltender has to settle everyone's pre-season jitters by delivering a sterling performance (or else panic sets in)?
Andersen posted .825 sv% in 8 pre-season periods, but Babcock said rust to be expected; "That's one position we're pretty comfortable with"
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) October 11, 2016
Or would you prefer the "Guy Boucher is back" one, where Boucher has to show the league that he no longer plays the 2-1-2 trap that got him fired from Tampa Bay five years ago? Or maybe “Will Dion Phaneuf give Matthews the warm welcome he deserves”? Spoiler: No, Phaneuf would be hard pressed to care less about the new rookie on the team that spurned him.
Or how about the storyline that Mirtle led with this morning, pointing out that the team has 11 players on it age 24 or under, with six that qualify as rookies? Or here's my underrated storyline: will Mike Babcock be able to recover from playing with the very best LEGO set that was Team Canada, and return to his set of brand new pieces and spare parts that is the current Maple Leafs roster?
Actually, I think the best storyline is this: for the first time since 1985, Leafs fans are going to be able to see a first overall pick debut in a Maple Leafs sweater. If preseason was any indication, we might be treated to some of this:
Auston Matthews w/Dangles. He's gonna be good 👀👌🏻
— The Hockey Press® (@TheHockeyPress) October 7, 2016
Via @myregularface #NHLPreseason #MapleLeafspic.twitter.com/MDOI5hUyEN
Or perhaps this:
Hey, it's Auston Matthews. #TMLtalk https://t.co/bY7m9z2ByX
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 7, 2016
But what should we expect from the game? If we are to listen to Lou, we should set our hopes low. "People should not look and expect too much. You always expect a lot, but expecting too much is not good," Lou cautioned. Still, with that much enthusiasm and speed on the ice, it’s hard not to hope for a swift, exciting game at the very least.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Forward Lines
Michalek - Kadri - Komarov
JvR - Bozak - Marner
Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Martin - Holland - Brown
Defence Pairings
Rielly - Marincin
Gardiner - Carrick
Hunwick - Zaitsev
Goaltenders
Andersen
Enroth
Ottawa Senators
Forward Lines
Hoffman - Turris - Stone
Smith - Brassard - Ryan
Varone - Pageau - Pyatt
Dzingel - Kelly - Neil
Defence Pairings
Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf - Ceci
Fowler - Wideman
Goaltenders
Anderson
Hammond