GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs seek to hunt down toothless Predators

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Nashville Predators (7-12-6) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (15-7-2)

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When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Scotiabank Arena

TV: Sportsnet Radio: The Fan 590

Odds: Predators +117, Maple Leafs -145

The buzz

Considering the off-season additions made by Nashville and the expectations that came with them, has there been a more disappointing team in the NHL? The answer is no. The Predators, prior to games on Tuesday, sat 30th overall in the NHL standings … Steven Stamkos is minus-14 and has just 13 points in 25 games, including five in his past 10 … Jonathan Marchessault has 12 points in 25 games … Nashville has lost its past three games by the same score: 3-2 in overtime. Since winning three games in row from Oct. 22-26, the Predators are 4-7-6 in their past 17 games … Nashville has scored an NHL-low 29 goals at five-on-five and is last in goals per game, averaging 2.32 … The Leafs, on the other hand, were second in goals against at five-on-five, allowing just 32 in 24 games … Mitch Marner’s run since early November is something to behold. The Leafs wizard has recorded two points in nine of 11 games and been held off the scoresheet only by Ottawa, on Nov. 12, in that span … In 13 career games against Nashville, Marner has 14 points (six goals and eight assists).

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The news

Defenceman Jake McCabe will be in the Leafs lineup. After taking a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Nick Perbix off the head on Saturday, McCabe didn’t play against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. “Just to be extra cautious,” McCabe said after he practised on Tuesday. “Anytime you get a blow to the head, you want to make make sure everything is good to go. (It was) pretty scary. But they take good care of us here. You move on from it and keep chugging along.” … McCabe’s lineup replacement versus Chicago, Philippe Myers, was partnered with Simon Benoit at practice, indicating he could remain in the lineup. Coach Craig Berube would not confirm as much. “Just what I did in practice. We’ll see who I have in and who I don’t (against the Predators).” A fourth pair included Marshall Rifai and Conor Timmins … Forwards Max Domi and Max Pacioretty, each recovering from a lower-body issue, practised on Tuesday but neither will play on Wednesday night.

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The quote

“They haven’t had a lot of time together, and I wanted them to move the puck around. Nashville has a very good PK, No. 1 in the league (89%), and they’re going to come with a lot of pressure everywhere. It’s about quick puck movement and know where your outs are.”

— Berube on why he had his five-forward, No. 1 power-play unit (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, Matthew Knies) getting some work at the end of practice on Tuesday.

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The poll

If you could choose one, which Maple Leafs player would you have on a 4 Nations Faceoff roster (not including Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander)?

1. Chris Tanev (Canada)

2. Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Sweden)

3. John Tavares (Canada)

4. Anthony Stolarz (United States)

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The projected Leafs lineup

Forwards

Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-William Nylander

Pontus Holmberg-John Tavares-Mitch Marner

Nick Robertson-Fraser Minten-Steven Lorentz

Nikita Grebenkin-Connor Dewar-Ryan Reaves

Defence

Jake McCabe-Chris Tanev

Morgan Rielly-Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Simon Benoit-Philippe Myers

Goal

Joseph Woll

Anthony Stolarz

The injuries

NASH: D Jeremy Lauzon (lower body), F Michael McCarron (upper body).

TOR: F Max Pacioretty (lower body), F Calle Jarnkrok (lower body), D Dakota Mermis (jaw), D Jani Hakanpaa (knee), C David Kampf (lower body), LW Bobby McMann (lower body), C Max Domi (lower body).

The prediction

The Leafs won’t play down to the Predators’ level. 5-2 Toronto.

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X: @koshtorontosun

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