Why Maple Leafs Are Going With 11 Forwards And 7 Defenseman Against Avalanche With Nick Blankenburg Making His Debut

DENVER — With John Tavares home on dad duty after the birth of his fourth child, Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller is turning to a seven-defenseman, 11-forward look against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night, inserting Nick Blankenburg for his season debut against his former club.

Tavares and his wife Aryn welcomed son Tucker on Friday. The 36-year-old alternate captain, who has three points through five games, was given the flexibility to be with his family rather than travel for the middle leg of Toronto’s Western road swing. In his absence, the Leafs will lean on extra bodies up front and on the blue line.

Hiller confirmed the plan during the club’s pre-game availability, saying the decision was driven in large part by a desire to get Blankenburg into the lineup. The 28-year-old right-shot defenseman, signed to a one-year, $1.4-million deal after a strong training-camp PTO, has been a healthy scratch through the first five games. He spent last season split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado after a deadline trade, appearing in 12 regular-season games and five playoff contests with the Avalanche before hitting free agency.

“We really wanted to get Nick in. He had a good preseason. Didn’t want to keep him out too long,” Hiller said, opting not to insert Zack MacEwen or Miles Wood, who was called up on Friday.

Blankenburg has waited patiently for the opportunity. Hiller noted that the veteran has been in this spot before early in seasons and has responded well when given the chance. “He’s really, he’s been patient. He’s excited. When he’s got in, he’s played well. It’s a whole team, so probably a little extra exciting for him tonight.”

The 11-forward setup is something Hiller has talked about previously.

“I just can mix more guys around,” Hiller explained. “If somebody’s having a good night, I can find a little bit more ice time for them. … It’s nice to get somebody else who typically doesn’t play as much more minutes.”

He acknowledged the trade-off on the back end. Defensemen generally prefer the rhythm that comes with six rather than seven, and spreading the minutes can make it harder for pairs to settle into a groove.

The Leafs changed up defensive pairs at practice at T-Mobile Arena on Friday, but Hiller said that shifting the D around wasn’t the primary goal of going with seven D on Saturday.

Hiller declined to name a starting goaltender, offering only that he wanted to keep the decision to himself after providing the rest of the lineup details. Both Anthony Stolarz and Sergei Bobrovsky remain options after Bobrovsky’s 40-save effort in Thursday’s 4-3 shootout loss in Vegas.

The Leafs (2-2-1) face a high-powered Avalanche side (3-1-0) that is averaging 5.75 goals per game. Blankenburg’s return to Ball Arena adds an extra layer to a night already shaped by Tavares’ family milestone and Hiller’s willingness to experiment with the roster.

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