Toronto will be without Tavares, Rielly, and Giordano when they face Anaheim on Saturday night.
Toronto will be without Tavares, Rielly, and Giordano when they face Anaheim on Saturday night.
The Maple Leafs will be missing a few of their veterans against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
Mark Giordano will miss Saturday's game. His father suddenly passed away on Thursday night. John Tavares will also be out of Toronto's lineup with a "minor" injury, with Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe calling him "day-to-day."
"It's pretty minor. He's just not available today," Keefe added.
Morgan Rielly will be out of the lineup for the third time as he serves a five-game suspension for his cross-check on Ridly Greig last Saturday. Rielly, his agent J.P. Barry, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving, and NHLPA lawyers travelled to New York City on Friday to appeal the suspension, per TSN's Darren Dreger.
The 29-year-old Maple Leafs defenseman didn't skate on Friday or on Saturday during Toronto's morning skate. Keefe said this is just to give Rielly a break from skating given he leads the Maple Leafs in ice-time this season.
"We want to keep him off today as well. We'll have a discussion about tomorrow, but I believe at this point, he'll travel with us [to St. Louis] and he can rejoin the group," Keefe said on Saturday morning.
In terms of a starting goaltender against the Ducks, Toronto will go with Martin Jones, and Ilya Samsonov will be the backup.
"I thought it was a good time to have a different goaltender tonight, just to break that workload and that way, (Ilya) Samsonov would end up getting two of the next three after this. Where, if he played tonight, with the quick turnaround for the 12:00 (game in St. Louis), it probably starts to get too much from here.
"So, it's less about tonight and just more so about kind of forecasting ahead, but also, it's two games already for Sammy this week and a busy stretch coming."
With the changes to the lineup, the Maple Leafs will put Max Domi back at second-line center between Tyler Bertuzzi and William Nylander. Bobby McMann, Pontus Holmberg, and Nick Robertson will make up the third line while Ryan Reaves draws back into the lineup on the fourth line.
Where to watch
In Canada, you'll be able to find the game nationally on Sportsnet and CBC. For those in the Anaheim area, the matchup will be broadcast on Bally Sports San Diego and Bally Sports SoCal.
The remainder of the United States can stream the game on ESPN+ and Fubo Sports US. If you're not in North America, you'll be able to stream the game on NHL Live. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7 p.m. ET.
Related
News from THN.com
For the Canucks, Winning is the Best Revenge for Jake Walman's Griddy
Three NHL Teams Who Should Consider Acquiring Capitals' Anthony Mantha
Archive: GM, On-Ice Official and Player Agent Pioneered Way for Women In Hockey