Toronto Maple Leafs News

Benning has been out since October 29th due to an undisclosed injury and has been activated off the injured reserve Friday with expectations to play. The 29-year-old stay-at-home defender has an assist, six PIMs and a -6 plus/minus in eight games this season prior to his injury.

Lorentz will be a healthy scratch on Friday, signalling that Aleksander Barkov will likely return to the Panthers lineup. In 18 games this season, Lorentz has three points (1G / 2A), 10 shots, and 15 hits while averaging 8:22 time-on-ice.

Steeves has been enjoying an excellent start to his 2023-24 season in Toronto (AHL) with 11 goals, seven assists, six PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus through 14 games played and has been recalled to the Maple Leafs Thursday. The 23-year-old has six career NHL games under his belt and has an assist and five SOG while averaging only 7:55 TOI.

Jarnkrok blocked a shot in practice Wednesday and will be a game-time decision Friday in Chicago. The 32-year-old two-way center has enjoyed a solid start to his 2023-24 season with four goals, five assists, 28 SOG, four PIMs, +5 plus/minus in 17 games played.

Woll allowed three goals on 36 shots in the Maple Leafs' win in Minnesota last Sunday. Woll has had a tough time recently, allowing at least three goals in five of his last six games, while posting an .873 SV%. Tonight he'll face a Penguins team that is 1-for-22 (4.5%) on the power-play in their last nine games. Toronto are -120 road favourites.

Nylander had five goals, eight points, and two PIMs in 11 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) and has been recalled to Pittsburgh Tuesday. The 25-year-old left-winger returns to the NHL where he has 14 goals and 34 points in 93 career games across five seasons. He had a goal and two assists in nine games played in his inaugural Pittsburgh season in 2022-23.

Stolarz allowed three goals on 22 shots in the Panthers' win in San Jose on Tuesday. Stolarz has had very easy matchups so far this season, facing the Sharks twice and the Blackhawks once, and he's gone 2-1-0 with an .892 SV%. You'd certainly expect him to have better numbers, but he draws another strong matchup tonight vs. his former team, the Ducks, who will be without Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson.

Reaves was signed to a three-year, $4.05 million contract ($1,350,000 AAV) in the offseason and will be a healthy scratch Friday vs. Detroit in Sweden for the Global Series. It has been a disappoint 14 inaugural games with Toronto for the bruising winger, who has yet to pick up a point, has only six SOG, 12 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus.

After making his season debut with the Lightning on Tuesday, Myers has been reassigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. In his debut, Myers played 15:32 time-on-ice, recording two shots, two hits, and a -1 plus/minus rating.

Stolarz will likely start for the first time since November 4th when he allowed four goals on 24 shots (.833 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. In two games this season (1-1-0), Stolarz has a 2.57 GAA and .904 SV% and will look to build on those totals against the league-wost offence of the San Jose Sharks (1.20 GF / GP). The Sharks have already been shut out three times this season, held to fewer than two goals an alarming 12 times in only 15 games (2-12-1). As such, the Panthers enter action as -282 road favourites against the Sharks.

Myers was recalled from Syracuse over the weekend and will make his season debut Tuesday vs. St. Louis as he replaces Erik Cernak (undisclosed) in the Lightning lineup. The 26-year-old is in his sixth NHL season and had a goal, two assists, 21 SOG and four PIMs in 11 games with Tampa in 2022-23.

Stolarz will likely start for the first time since November 4th when he allowed four goals on 24 shots (.833 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. In two games this season (1-1-0), Stolarz has a 2.57 GAA and .904 SV% and will look to build on those totals against the league-wost offence of the San Jose Sharks (1.20 GF / GP). The Sharks have already been shut out three times this season, held to fewer than two goals an alarming 12 times in only 15 games (2-12-1). As such, the Panthers enter action as -282 road favourites against the Sharks.