For someone who has played in more than 900 games in the National Hockey League and has scored more than 300 goals, the objective in the Maple Leafs’ final preseason game is straightforward.
“It’s time to get serious,” veteran forward Max Pacioretty said after the Leafs’ morning skate on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena. “Not to say that the other five (preseason) games weren’t serious.
“But now it’s time to start to feel good about your game, and not the points, the little details that make a team successful. You want to prove your identity with a new coach and for myself, personally, in a new organization right away. Tonight, it’s about cleaning up all those little details of the game.”
The Leafs will play host to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night to conclude their exhibition matches, taking a preseason record of 3-1-1 into the finale.
Coach Craig Berube is going with a lineup that will closely resemble the roster for opening night in Montreal on Wednesday against the Canadiens.
Joseph Woll will start in goal and will play the full game, Berube said. Woll will be backed up by Anthony Stolarz.
On the blue line, Jake McCabe remains day to day with an upper body injury, and his spot in the lineup on Saturday will be taken by Philippe Myers.
At forward, Nick Robertson (upper body) skated on Saturday morning but will not play. Calle Jarnkrok (lower body) was not on the ice with his teammates and still is day to day.
The lines that Berube is expected to use against the Wings include Auston Matthews between Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner; John Tavares centring Max Domi and William Nylander; Pontus Holmberg between Pacorietty and Bobby McMann; and David Kampf centring Steven Lorentz and Ryan Reaves.
On the blue line, the expected pairs are Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev; Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Myers; and Simon Benoit and Conor Timmins.
Timothy Liljegren will not play on Saturday, another indication of his lower place on the depth chart.
Among the roster dominoes that are expected to fall before it’s due to the NHL on Monday at 5 p.m., are contracts for Pacioretty and Lorentz.
As long as Robertson and McCabe are ready for Wednesday, they will be play. That would bring Myers out of the lineup, and perhaps McMann, if not Lorentz.
The deadline for general manager Brad Treliving and assistant GM Brandon Pridham to make it all fit is fast approaching.
Timmins, meanwhile, has put himself into the top six with a fine camp.
“He’s played well, he has been highly competitive,” Berube said. “First and foremost, (he is) playing defence. You have to defend and be competitive and do all the things there that we need. I like his puck movement. Moves the puck well, sees the ice well, moves it well.”
Timmins, whose NHL career has been stalled by injuries at various times, has an idea that he is in a good spot.
“I feel comfortable, I’m moving my feet well,” Timmins said. “I’ve felt confident in the games and like where my game is at.
“I’ve just been worried about playing my own game. I think it fits well into the system. Just playing hard, playing fast, moving pucks up, and it’s been a good fit so far.”
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