Leafs @ Capitals - Oct. 17th, 7:00pm - TSN4, Fan 590

[CarltonTheBear]

@
4-1-0, 8 points | 3-2-1, 7 points
Projected Lines

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander Marleau-Kadri-Komarov JvR-Bozak-Brown Martin-Moore-Marner Rielly-Hainsey Gardiner-Zaitsev Rosen-Carrick Andersen

Burakovsky-Backstrom-Oshie Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Vrana Connolly-Graovac-Wilson Chiasson-Beagle-Smith Pelly Djoos-Carlson Orlov-Chorney Orpik-Bowey Holtby

Scratches

Eric Fehr Josh Leivo Andreas Borgman

Lars Eller Nathan Walker Aaron Ness

Game Notes

TOR
•Andersen (4-1-0, 3.76 GAA, .880 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
•Mitch Marner and Connor Brown swapped places at practice on Monday, meaning we might see Marner play on the 4th line alongside Martin and Moore
•Rosen was back alongside Carrick as his rotation with Borgman continues
•Matthews was named the NHL's second star of the week after scoring 4 goals (2 in OT) in 3 games

WSH
•Braden Holtby (3-1-0, 2.47 GAA, .923 Sv%) will likely start for the Capitals
•Nick Backstrom was just named the NHL's third start of the week. He recorded 3 goals and 6 assists in 4 games
•Backstrom and Kuznetov lead the league in scoring so far this season with 11 points each in 6 games. Ovechkin is 2nd with 10 points and leads the league in goals with 9. T.J. Oshie is right behind them with 8 points
•The Capitals have lost a number of key players since our playoff series against them: Shattenkirk, Alzner, Schmidt, Williams, Johansson, and Winnik have all departed through trade/free agency/expansion. They'll also be missing Niskanen and potentially Eller due to injury
•Niskanen was recently played on LTIR, meaning he'll be out until at least November 7th. They lost their first game without him to Philly by a score of 8-2Injuries

•Nathan Horton - Back - Out indefinitely •Joffrey Lupul - Actually Injured - Out indefinitely

•Lars Eller - Illness - Questionable Tuesday •Matt Niskanen - Injured Reserve - Upper Body

Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Looking at so many of these perennial contender teams is somewhat of a cautionary tale, there are some HOLES on that Caps team.

[bustaheims]

Looking at so many of these perennial contender teams is somewhat of a cautionary tale, there are some HOLES on that Caps team.

It's a reminder that you have to be willing to move on from non-core pieces while you can still get good value in return for them. Keep the pipeline flowing and such.

Also, you have to be careful with picking up expensive rental players/avoid it. The teams that win the Cup tend not to be the ones that pick up the biggest names at the deadline (some exceptions, obviously, but in general).

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

Another good test ... of the defense at least.

[disco]

pic.twitter.com/EtDoH4ir4a

— Flintor (@TheFlintor) October 17, 2017

DYNAMIC

[Nik]

Looking at so many of these perennial contender teams is somewhat of a cautionary tale, there are some HOLES on that Caps team.

It's a reminder that you have to be willing to move on from non-core pieces while you can still get good value in return for them. Keep the pipeline flowing and such.

Also, don't trade Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat. That may be less applicable in our situation but it's still fun to mention.

[Dappleganger]

Looking at so many of these perennial contender teams is somewhat of a cautionary tale, there are some HOLES on that Caps team.

It's a reminder that you have to be willing to move on from non-core pieces while you can still get good value in return for them. Keep the pipeline flowing and such.

Also, don't trade Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat. That may be less applicable in our situation but it's still fun to mention.

It was bonkers then, even more bonkers now.

[Crucialness Key]

pic.twitter.com/EtDoH4ir4a

— Flintor (@TheFlintor) October 17, 2017

DYNAMIC

Batman barely looks any different.... the cowl suits AM

[Dappleganger]

pic.twitter.com/EtDoH4ir4a

— Flintor (@TheFlintor) October 17, 2017

DYNAMIC

Batman barely looks any different.... the cowl suits AM

Isn't it obvious? Auston Matthews is Batman.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

Looking at so many of these perennial contender teams is somewhat of a cautionary tale, there are some HOLES on that Caps team.

It's a reminder that you have to be willing to move on from non-core pieces while you can still get good value in return for them. Keep the pipeline flowing and such.

Also, don't trade Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat. That may be less applicable in our situation but it's still fun to mention.

Yes indeed.  That was their Rayzor>Rask moment.

Although if we had kept Rask would we have been just a little too good to end up drafting the Marvelous Three?  Could be another butterfly-makes-hurricane type deal.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

pic.twitter.com/EtDoH4ir4a

— Flintor (@TheFlintor) October 17, 2017

DYNAMIC

Batman barely looks any different.... the cowl suits AM

Isn't it obvious? Auston Matthews is Batman.

What I love about that pic is that those were the actual costumes, which even in 1966 dollars look like they might have cost $7.50 total to rustle up.

That show was all kinds of awesome on multiple, multiple levels.  I think I am going to change my nom-de-board to King Tut, the most brilliant in the series' brilliant cast of arch-villains.

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

It looks like Rosen is in for Borgman, a little surprised at that given Rosen's last outing.

Andersen goes tonight and McBackup tomorrow.

[CarltonTheBear]

One thing to watch for with Marner is if Babs will try to feed him some extra minutes by throwing him out with Matthews and Nylander on post-PK shifts.

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

One thing to watch for with Marner is if Babs will try to feed him some extra minutes by throwing him out with Matthews and Nylander on post-PK shifts.

Yeah, much like he did with Brown, I'm sure he will find a way to get Mitch some minutes. As Babcock himself said, it isn't just on Mitch, the whole line has been suspect.

[herman]

With early season heat maps like these, things could get ugly for the #Caps in tonight's visit by the #Leafs pic.twitter.com/oAbLDBLJ0W

— Natural Stat Trick (@NatStatTrick) October 17, 2017

There had better be Nylander/Backstrom gifs tonight.