Preview: Maple Leafs vs Jets

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Winnipeg Jets
7:00 PM at Canada Life Centre
Watch on: CBC, CITY, SNO, SNW, SNP

Opponent’s Site: Arctic Ice Hockey

The Leafs last game was at home on October 20 against the Dallas Stars, and the Leafs won by a score of 3-2. The Leafs have a record of 3-2-0 so far.

The Winnipeg Jets last played an away game on October 20 against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Jets lost by a score of 5-2, and their current league record is 2-2-0.

Them

The Winnipeg Jets* are in the middle of trying to figure out if they need to rebuild, retool, or  continue as is. After stripping Blake Wheeler of the captaincy, Paul Maurice quitting, and not so great stories coming from the locker room, the Jets* aren’t sure what to do, but they’re still trying.

Related

Jets mailbag: Culture issues? Trading veterans? Promoting prospects?
Report: Patrik Laine Revealed Reason for Leaving Winnipeg – Rude Treatment in Locker Room
Bowness decides Jets will go without a captain in 2022-23
Jets feature several identity concerns this season

On the ice they’re a middling team, 2-2 on the season, with a three goal win, overtime win - both coming over big team, Stanley Cup favourites New York Rangers and Stanley Cup winners Colorado Avalanche. The losses were to teams no one thinks much of, the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights.

Lines

Source: Mike McIntyre via Daily Faceoff

Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Mason Appleton
Cole Perfetti - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Blake Wheeler
Morgan Barron - Adam Lowry - Saku Maenalanen
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby - David Gustafsson - Sam Gagner

Josh Morrissey - Neal Pionk
Brenden Dillon - Nate Schmidt
Logan Stanley - Dylan DeMelo

Connor Hellebuyck

Us

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a Toronto Maple Leafs start of the season. People are upset at bad teams beating them (Arizona) and upset they’re not blowing out the bad teams when they win (Ottawa). We as fans are all upset at all times over everything.

Nick Robertson made his season debut on Thursday against the Dallas Stars, and stole the show so now I expect him to do that every game.

There ay be some line futzing tonight, as the Leafs made some lunch time moves:

Maple Leafs recall Kyle Clifford ahead of Jets game tonight. Kral sent down.

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) October 22, 2022

Lines

Michael Bunting - Auston Matthews - Mitch Marner
William Nylander - John Tavares - Denis Malgin
Zach Aston-Reese - Alex Kerfoot - Calle Järnkrok
Kyle Clifford - David Kämpf - Wayne Simmonds

Morgan Rielly - TJ Brodie
Rasmus Sandin - Justin Holl
Mark Giordano - Victor Mete

Ilya Samsonov - confirmed starter

The Game

Toronto vs Winnipeg

Coming into town to face off against a team in turmoil, I expect the Leafs to win, and I would like them to get their first multi-goal win. Overtime and close games are fine, wins are wins, but let’s get a definitive win tonight. Go into the final ten minutes with no doubts in our minds.

How will the Leafs win tonight?