Leafs scratch a pair of NHL regulars ahead of Saturday's meeting with the Sens
The Leafs will kick off 2022 with a return to action against the Ottawa Senators in the always heated Battle of Ontario on Saturday, welcoming Mitch Marner and Rasmus Sandin back to the lineup after each has been off for nearly a month.
While that news is cause for excitement, it's not all sunshine and rainbows in Leafs Nation, because the Leafs also appear to be heading into Saturday's game with two regular NHLers headed for the press box as scratches.
Per the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby, defenseman Jake Muzzin and forward Nick Ritchie appear to be skating as extras at practice on Saturday, indicating that both will be healthy scratched tonight against the Sens.
Muzzin is likely scratched due to recently exiting COVID-19 protocol, so perhaps he is still dealing with some ill effects. Another reason could be that there is something nagging him that may require some additional time off. Muzzin hasn't looked himself this season, which is why I think there might be something to that speculation.
Ritchie, on the other hand, has been somewhat of a disappointment to start his Leafs career. After scoring 15 goals in 56 games with the Bruins last season, Ritchie has found the back of the net just once as a Leaf and has found himself on a steady slide from the first line down to the 4th line.
Ritchie has been doing some good things of late, but perhaps the Leafs are sending a message here that mediocrity is not something they'll tolerate from someone who was brought in to play top six minutes.
Defenseman Alex Biega appears to be drawing into the Leafs' lineup on Saturday. This would be Biega's debut with the Leafs.
