Game 6ix Preview: Dylan Larkin and the Grand Rapids Griffins

Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings: 7:00pm
Watch on: Hockey Night in Canada - CBC

Opponent’s site: Winging it in Motown

Am I really allowed to write a Saturday game preview after what happened seven days ago? If we lose again, don’t blame me.

Maple Leafs Lines

Indications seem to be that Mike Babcock is leaning — ever so slightly — to the depth group of Nic Petan, Jason Spezza, and Justin Holl. The trio played twice during the week, with Holl getting his third game in a row today while the two forwards get swapped out for Dmytro Timashov and Nick Shore.

Before the jokes, the last time Holl played three games in a row was game 81 of last year. People forget he played six in a row down the stretch before the playoffs with the injured roster. Was not stapled to the bench then.

Like I said in the FTB, this appears to be the last chance for Timashov and Shore to stay in the NHL, but mostly Timashov because of the whole centre and special teams thing. Timashov has been either bad or non-existent in his two games with the team. A sub-40% corsi, and expected goals better only than the Tavares line (seriously, they’re in the toilet at 5v5).

You have one job, Dmytro: don’t suck.

Forwards
Andreas Johnsson - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Kasperi Kapanen - John Tavares - Mitchell Marner
Ilya Mikheyev - Alexander Kerfoot - Trevor Moore
Dmytro Timashov - Nick Shore - Frederik Gauthier
Scratched: Nic Petan - Jason Spezza - Zach Hyman

Defense
Morgan Rielly - Cody Ceci
Jake Muzzin - Tyson Barrie
Rasmus Sandin - Justin Holl
Scratched: Martin Marincin

Goalies
Frederik Andersen
Michael Hutchinson

Detroit Red Wings Lines

The Red Wings aren’t a great team, but they have lots of below average NHL players filling their lineup from line one to four. Dylan Larkin is probably the most underrated player in the league and Anthony Mantha has gotten off to a rocket of a start so far.

Their line with Tyler Bertuzzi have combined for 10 goals and 38 shots in four games. That line has accounted for 10 of the team’s 13 goals. They’ll definitely need to to be shut down at home if the Leafs don’t want to let things get out of hand.

Watch out for Luke Glendening on the second line. Two goals, so hot right now.

Jimmy Howard is the confirmed starter. Jonathan Bernier fans in Detroit are screaming bloody murder as we speak. “Where is the respect for this veteran leader against his old team on this holy day of Saturday?!”

Forwards
Tyler Bertuzzi - Dylan Larkin - Anthony Mantha
Taro Hirose - Andreas Athanasiou - Luke Glendening
Valtteri Filppula - Christoffer Ehn - Adam Erne
Darren Helm - Jacob de la Rose - Justin Abdelkader