The Toronto Maple Leafs head into Minnesota for Game 68 of the NHL season on the second night of a back-to-back as they face the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.
In this preview, Zack Phillips breaks down the expected Maple Leafs lineup, including the top unit featuring John Tavares and William Nylander, along with the continued evaluation of young players like Matthew Knies and Easton Cowan in the top six. With Auston Matthews currently out of the lineup, the Leafs are experimenting with combinations as they push through the late stretch of the season.
Zack also discusses the development of players such as Nic Robertson, the physical presence of Dakota Joshua, and what the Leafs might want to see from younger players down the lineup. On defense, the pairings featuring Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Simon Benoit, and Philippe Myers are examined heading into the matchup.
In goal, Anthony Stolarz is expected to start for Toronto after a strong outing from Joseph Woll the night prior, while Minnesota counters with highly regarded prospect Jesper Wallstedt. Plus, Zack dives into the betting lines and delivers his best bets of the night, including anytime goal scorer picks featuring Kirill Kaprizov, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies.
Drop your thoughts in the comments β do you want the Leafs to win this game, or is it better for the bigger picture if they slide down the standings?
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Chapters:
0:00 Game 68 Preview β Leafs vs Wild
0:40 Leafs Lineup Overview
1:00 Nylander & Tavares Top Line Discussion
2:10 Matthew Knies Season Analysis
3:35 Easton Cowan Top-Six Opportunity
4:10 Third Line Expectations β Robertson & Joshua
5:20 Physical Play and Lineup Debate
7:00 Craig Berube Usage Questions
8:30 Leafs Defensive Pairings Breakdown
9:30 Morgan Rielly & Brandon Carlo Pairing
10:05 Power Play Units
10:30 Goaltending: Anthony Stolarz vs Jesper Wallstedt
11:15 Betting Lines and Odds
12:45 Anytime Goal Scorer Picks
14:30 Final Thoughts & Score Predictions
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