The Toronto Maple Leafs face the struggling Philadelphia Flyers for the second time in a week.
The Toronto Maple Leafs also visited Philadelphia last week, winning 6-2 and playing one of their best games of the season.
Tonight’s game, also on the road, will be made simpler by John Tortorella, who is once again making it all about himself.
The Flyers are making the foolish decision of healthy scratching their captain and best player tonight. It’s an odd move given Couturier is their best player and has posted decent numbers this season. Maybe he hasn’t been playing well lately, but you’d think a famous Flyers player, captain, and someone coming off two consecutive back surgeries would receive some leeway.
Also, the Flyers’ collapse and loss of their playoff berth should come as no surprise given that their starting goalkeeper is potentially going to jail and will most likely never play in the NHL again, and their top defenseman was dealt at the deadline.
It seems cruel to be furious with your best player in these circumstances, but we’re talking about John Tortorella here.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Flyers
The Leafs will be without many regulars tonight.
Mitch Marner is still sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, which appears to be the Leafs’ primary issue this season.
Ilya Lyubushkin will miss the game due to an unidentified illness, bringing Simon Benoit back into the lineup. The Leafs no longer appear to have a top pairing, instead relying on Rielly, McCabe, Brodie, and Liljegren as their top four, regardless of who mates with whom.
Calle Jarnkrok has been assigned to the LTIR and will not play until at least April.
Ilya Samsonov, the Leafs’ current number one goalie, will start. While that is fine based on his recent performance, history indicates that this will not endure. In my opinion, the Leafs are making a tremendous mistake by not giving Joseph Woll more games.
Woll not only has to shake off the rust from his three-month absence, but he is also a better and more capable goaltender. He has also improved over the season, and he is the team’s future.
Regardless of what happens, Ilya Samsonov will not return to Toronto next season, and I believe it was a mistake to keep him now. It doesn’t really matter who plays tonight because the Leafs will play tomorrow, and Woll will get his turn then.
The Leafs are facing a team that is purposefully making itself worse, and they have Auston Matthews, who appears to be in for a big game. They shouldn’t have any trouble handling the Flyers tonight.
The Atlantic Division title appears out of reach, but everything is possible, so they must keep grinding.
