Two Leafs likely to remain scratched, even with a spot opening up on the roster due to Knies' injury
Following the unfortunate injury to Leafs rookie Matthew Knies, I think just about everyone in Leafs Nation was wondering how the Leafs might respond and who they might dress in his place for Game 3 against the Panthers. The most popular opinion on hockey Twitter was that they'd opt to dress Wayne Simmonds to help patrol the ice and keep guys like Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett in check. Well, as it turns out, the Leafs look to be going a different way.
The Leafs are back on the ice on Saturday, taking part in a practice ahead of Sunday's Gane 3, but Simmonds is still wearing a grey "extras" sweater, indicating that he's likely to remain in the press box for Game 3 in Florida. Conor Timmins was also wearing an "extras" grey jersey at practice, which would indicate that he will also be in the press box tomorrow evening.
With Simmonds not drawing in, perhaps we'll see Sheldon Keefe go back to the 11F/7D setup that helped his team eliminate Tampa in Game 6 of Round 1. In that case, it's likely that we'll see Erik Gustafsson draw in for the Buds as the 7th defenseman. His speed, mobility and offensive instincts would certainly be an asset on the blueline.
Simmonds isn't the only guy in Toronto who is capable of striking fear into the hearts of the opposition and patrolling the ice to keep guys in check. They also have Noel Acciari and Luke Schenn in the regular lineup who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty if need be.
| POLL | ||
MAI 6 | 1005 ANSWERS Two Leafs likely to remain scratched, even with a spot opening up on the roster due to Knies' injury Should the Leafs dress Simmonds for Game 3 and put a target on Bennett's back? | ||
| Yes | 579 | 57.6 % |
| No | 176 | 17.5 % |
| Just beat them on the score sheet | 250 | 24.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
