Preview: Remade Avalanche face Maple Leafs
Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images
Who will win the first post-deadline battle?
As the dust settles from the NHL trade deadline, the Colorado Avalanche gear up for a big Saturday evening match with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Colorado has enjoyed a strong homestand winning four in a row meanwhile Toronto is hoping to find success in the west after dropping a game in Vegas.
Colorado Avalanche
With no morning skate prior to the early evening game lines are a bit of guesswork but the assumption is all new players will be available in Colorado’s quest to dress 50 players this season. Nathan MacKinnon is two points away from 100 and what better stage than Hockey Night in Canada to achieve the century mark for the third year in row.
Projected Lineup
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Jonathan Drouin - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton - Charlie Coyle - Joel Kiviranta
Parker Kelly - Jack Drury - Logan O’Connor
Devon Toews - Cale Makar
Sam Girard - Ryan Lindgren
Keaton Middleton - Josh Manson
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs added a couple names they hope to make an impact with Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo, both should be in the lineup for Toronto. The Leafs also hope Auston Matthews will turn around a decreased shooting percentage as he has just 23 goals on the year.
Projected Lineup
Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Mitch Marner
Pontus Holmberg - John Tavares - William Nylander
Max Domi - Scott Laughton - Bobby McMann
Steven Lorentz - David Kampf - Calle Jarnkrok
Morgan Reilly - Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe - Simon Benoit
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Philippe Meyers
Goaltenders
It should be a battle of starters with Joseph Woll in net for the visitors and MacKenzie Blackwood in for the Avalanche but we’ll see with the rest of the lineup at warmups this evening. ...
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