The Red Wings visit Toronto for a Canadian Thanksgiving matinee, seeking their first winning streak of the season against rival Maple Leafs.
The Red Wings aim to secure their first winning streak of the season as they face the Maple Leafs in the second game of a back-to-back. Detroit took the first matchup on Saturday with an impressive 6–3 victory, highlighted by Lucas Raymond’s two-goal performance and three-point nights from both Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat.
Red Wings rookie Emmitt Finnie notched his first NHL point with an assist on Lucas Raymond’s opening goal while skating on the top line alongside captain Dylan Larkin. Fellow rookies Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard also impressed, with Brandsegg-Nygard generating a pair of quality scoring chances despite a more limited role, logging just 11:23 of ice time. Sandin-Pellikka’s minutes dipped as well, finishing with 18:20 after playing 22:34 in the previous game. They will both look to have more impactful performances on Monday while the Maple Leafs are now introducing some rookies of their own.
"He Just Gets Better and Better": Lucas Raymond Lauded By Red Wings Teammates After Milestone Goal
While the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a> found themselves trailing by a 2-0 score in the opening 20 minutes of play of Saturday evening's game against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, they put in the work to make sure they didn't suffer the same fate as their disappointing 5-1 setback on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Lineup Storylines
Toronto's Easton Cowan is expected to join the fold in a meaningful role as he will play with star forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on the top line. The 20-year-old Strathroy, Ontario native was drafted 28th overall by his hometown Maple Leafs in the 2023 NHL Draft. While playing in the OHL for the London Knights, Cowan put up eye-popping numbers, highlighted by a 96-point campaign in just 54 games during the 2023–24 season.
His most remarkable feat, however, was a record-setting 65-game point streak that began in November 2023 and impressively carried through to February 2025. He will need to be accounted for as the Red Wings may look to add some new blood of their own on Monday.
Veteran winger James van Riemsdyk may join the lineup on Monday as he was activated from non-roster status Saturday and has seen reps in practice with the fourth line alongside Michael Rasmussen and Mason Appleton. If Detroit bench boss Todd McLellan decides JVR is ready to go, we can expect an impactful performance as the New Jersey native has a solid history in this matchup with three goals and two assists for five points over his last seven games against the Toronto.
Griffins Soar to 2-0 Start Behind Red Wings Prospects' Breakout Performances
<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit</a>'s AHL affiliate, the Griffins, improved to 2-0, fueled by standout performances from <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Red Wings</a> prospects.
Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)
TOR ML (-180) | DET ML (+150)
TOR -1.5 (+125) | DET +1.5 (-153)
O/U 6.0 Goals
The Maple Leafs were among the league’s most dominant home teams last season, posting an impressive 27-13-1 record powered by a top-eight defense. They’ll face a Red Wings squad that struggled away from home, finishing with a 17-19-5 record and the league’s ninth-worst road offense. However, Detroit has found recent success in Toronto, winning three of its last five visits and holding a 6-3-1 record against the Maple Leafs over the past ten meetings. If the Red Wings hope to turn things around on the road, they’ll need to rediscover the formula that’s worked for them in this matchup before.
This should start with their leading scorer last season in Alex DeBrincat, who saw his scoring chances in the season opener and turned to dishing the puck in their first matchup versus Toronto Saturday with a trio of assists. The Michigan native now has three goals and six assists for nine points over his last eight matchups against the Maple Leafs. After finishing with a team-best 39 goals last season, DeBrincat should have a chance at adding his first of the season on Monday as the rest of his line in Marco Kasper and Patrick Kane have both scored their first of the season already.
For Toronto, it will mark the second wave of Auston Matthews, who was held off the scoresheet on Saturday despite a dominant track record against Detroit. The former 69-goal scorer has tallied 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points in 23 career games versus the Red Wings. Detroit will aim to contain him as best they can, but history suggests that’s been a difficult task.
"Very Nostalgic": James van Riemsdyk Appreciates Time in Toronto Ahead of Likely Red Wings Debut
As one of the busier teams during the NHL offseason, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a> brought in a multitude of new players through both free agency and trade.
Goalie Matchup
Detroit: Cam Talbot (VS TOR: record of 7-5-2 record, 2.84 GAA, .899 SV% in 16 Games)
Toronto: Anthony Stolarz Expected (VS DET: 2-1-0 record, 1.66 GAA, .940 SV% in 3 Games)