Devils at Leafs preview: I hope the vacation didn't start early

Welcome to the last Leafs game for the next 6 days. No, not even on Saturday night. "Didn't we just have a long break without games?" you ask. Yes we did. Now here's another.

New Jersey Devils at Toronto Maple Leafs
7:30PM - Air Canada Centre
TV: TSN4 Radio: Sportsnet590
SBN: All About the Jersey

The New Jersey Devils are surprising many people this season who sit fourth in the Metro and have a one point lead over Pittsburgh, PITTSBURGH!, for the final wild card spot in the East. What is going on here New Jersey? You were supposed to be one of the teams to bring Auston Matthews back to America.

The Maple Leafs 2-3-0 in their last five games, those two wins coming with rookie Garrett sparks in net. On Saturday the Leafs beat a very good team in the St. Louis Blues with Sparks and fellow Marlie Antoine Bibeau as their goaltending tandem. Jonathan Bernier has been playing excellently for the Marlies during his conditioning stint and The Leafs are hoping this extended break gives James Reimer more time to rehad and get prepared for the post-christmas schedule, which given all of these long breaks, should be nothing but back to backs.

Projected Lines

Toronto

James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - PA Parenteau
Peter Holland - Nazem Kadri - Leo Komarov
Michael Grabner - Nick Spaling - Daniel Winnik
Shawn Matthias - Byron Froese - Brad Boyes

Jake Gardiner - Dion Phaneuf
Matt Hunwick - Morgan Rielly
Martin Marincin - Roman Polak

Garret Sparks
Antoine Bibeau

Injured: Joffrey Lupul (lower body), Stephane Robidas (groin), James Reimer (lower body), Nathan Horton (everything)
Scratched: Frank Corrado

New Jersey

Mike Cammalleri - Adam Henrique - Lee Stempniak
Tyler Kennedy - Patrik Elias - Kyle Palmieri
Brian O'Neill – Jacob Josefson - Jordin Tootoo
Sergey Kalinin – Stephen Gionta – Bobby Farnham

Andy Greene - Adam Larsson
John Moore - Damon Severson
Jon Merrill - David Schlemko

Cory Schneider
Keith Kinkaid

Injured: Travis Zajac (upper body), Tuomo Ruutu (right foot fracture), Jiri Tlusty (upper body)
Scratched: Eric Gelinas, Stefan Matteau

Morning skate chatter

Dion Phaneuf skates in his 400th game as a Male Leaf tonight, 373 spent as captain.

Babcock: "No one’s gone through more here than Dion has. When you’re the captain of a team that doesn’t win you tend to take lots of hits."

— Jonas Siegel (@jonasTSN1050) December 8, 2015

Babock shared his thoughts on Corrado:

Babcock on Corrado: "Frankie's going to get a go... We're not sending him to the Marlies."
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) December 8, 2015

Babcock on Corrado: "Frankie is going to get his go. He doesn’t need you guys lobbying for him. I know he is here." #Leafs

— Terry Koshan (@koshtorontosun) December 8, 2015

Mirtle was out taking some pics of the skate and Boyce came in with the win:

Steve Briere, Bibeau and Lupul on early at the ACC. And I'm using the photo hole in the glass. #Leafs pic.twitter.com/C8qiczKwtV

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) December 8, 2015

@mirtle be careful with that one, it's tougher then it looks

— Darryl Boyce (@dboyce47) December 8, 2015

My Thoughts

New Jersey is one of those teams I forget exists, like Minnesota. I have no thoughts on them.