Preview: the Michael Hutchinson redemption game

Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres: ***4:00 p.m.***
Watch on: TSN4, and MSG-Buffalo
Opponent’s site: Die By The Blade

The Toronto Maple Leafs are mad.

They’re mad at themselves for how they treated Michael Hutchinson in his first stint with the team this season. So mad that they’ve been quite transparent in their desire to get him his first win of the season tonight against the Buffalo Sabres.

Head Coach Sheldon Keefe has given Hutch the first half of the back-to-back on the road, in a matinee game that he’s used to in the AHL. This is the best scenario before a game Hutchinson has been in by a mile this season and it’s his chance, and the team’s chance, to put together a worthy win.

Michael Hutchinson said that entire #Leafs organization helped him through turmoil of early season, from Freddie Andersen to Dr. Meg Popovic: "It shows how much everyone cares for you as a person. Some organizations just see you as an asset, but here they view you as a person."

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) November 28, 2019

Sheldon Keefe explains decision to start Michael Hutchinson tomorrow

* Hutch used to afternoon (4 pm) starts in AHL

* Early start, short travel means Freddie can have normal game-day routine Saturday

* Team doesn't have win in 2nd game of back-to-back yet

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 28, 2019

"They weren't one-way conversations. It wasn't them talking at you or down to you, you know?"

Why Michael Hutchinson feels he's getting a mental reset and a second chance under Sheldon Keefe, his favourite coach: https://t.co/yhefcTOjxp #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/AKhK22Irsp

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) November 28, 2019

Maple Leafs Lines

Forwards
Andreas Johnsson - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Ilya Mikheyev - John Tavares - Zach Hyman
Nic Petan - Jason Spezza - Kasperi Kapanen
Pierre Engvall - Frederik Gauthier - Dmytro Timashov
Scratched: Nick Shore
Injured: Mitchell Marner, Trevor Moore
Suspended: Alexander Kerfoot (one more game)

Defense
Morgan Rielly - Cody Ceci
Jake Muzzin - Justin Holl
Travis Dermott - Tyson Barrie

Goalies
Michael Hutchinson
Frederik Andersen

Buffalo Sabres Lines

This is also a big game for the Sabres... For some reason.

Related

Sabres and Maple Leafs - A Very Important Game

Ralph Krueger said he's used to having lots of road fans in a home building from his European coaching days, excited for first #Leafs-Sabres bout tomorrow: "It's been highlighted on the calendar awhile, this back-to-back. You can feel the energy in the group."

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) November 28, 2019

The Sabres don’t like it when Leafs Nation fills their arena for the only times of the season. I guess that’s reason to hate us. Bring it on.

Forwards
Jimmy Vesey - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart
Jeff Skinner - Casey Mittelstadt - Conor Sheary
Victor Olofsson - Jean-Sebastien Dea - Rasmus Asplund
Zemgus Girgensons - Johan Larsson - Curtis Lazar

Defense
Jake McCabe - Rasmus Ristolainen
Zach Bogosian - Brandon Montour
Marco Scandella - Henri Jokiharju
Scratched: Colin Miller, Rasmus Dahlin

For now, we don’t know what the defense pairings are. The Sabres have too many mediocre names to choose from. For now, I’ve gone with last game’s lineup; the one where they scratched Colin Miller and Rasmus Dahlin. Wild stuff.

PP Units

One: Eichel-Reinhart-Olofsson-Johansson-Ristolainen

Two: Mittelstadt-Sheary-Skinner-(Dea)-Montour

Dea in brackets because that’s also where Eichel would go.

— Joe Yerdon (@JoeYerdon) November 28, 2019