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Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe won’t be in the lineup on Wednesday night against the Nashville Predators at Scotiabank Arena.
The news came Wednesday morning via Leafs coach Craig Berube.
“Just not feeling right, not feeling good enough to play,” Berube said. “He will not play tonight.”
After McCabe was hit in the head by a shot off the stick of Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Nick Perbix on Saturday night, the 31-year-old didn’t play in the Leafs win at home against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
McCabe was a full participant in practice on Tuesday at the Ford Performance Centre and indicated afterward that all was well.
“I’m good to go,” McCabe said on Tuesday. “Just to be extra cautious (in sitting out versus the Blackhawks).
“Anytime you get a blow to the head, just want to make make sure everything is good to go.”
Philippe Myers, who took McCabe’s spot in the lineup on Monday, will remain in.
Does Berube expect McCabe to be back for the weekend? The Leafs play host to the Washington Capitals on Friday and visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
“Yeah, I’m a positive guy, so I do expect (McCabe to return),” Berube said. “It’s just how he feels, right? So hopefully he’s feeling better and better every day and we’ll see. This guy is a warrior. He’ll play if he can. I’m hoping he is back.”
McCabe leads Leafs defencemen in ice time, averaging 21 minutes 20 seconds a game.
Winger Ryan Reaves will be back in the Leafs lineup now that he has served a five-game suspension for an illegal check to the head on Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. Alex Nylander will be scratched.
Nylander has been ineffective in four games with the Leafs, registering just four shots on goal.
In answering a question about Nylander’s play, Berube conjured memories of Randy Carlyle’s controversial comments on goalie James Reimer in 2014, when the Leafs coach at the time said Reimer was “just OK” in a game versus Detroit.
“Just OK,” Berube said about Nylander. “He has done some good things. He had some scoring opportunities early on, he’s a skilled guy that scores. Hasn’t been a ton of power play time for him. The first unit eats a lot of that up and but, you know, I’d say (he has been) fair.”
Joseph Woll is in line to start in net against the Predators after Anthony Stolarz was sharp versus Chicago.
With his goalies, Berube has two top-notch options. Woll has a save percentage of .923 in eight games, a shade lower than the .924 mark Stolarz has posted in 14 games. Both are among the NHL leaders in that category.
“You look at this month and the schedule and how many games are packed in there, the back-to-backs, there’s four of them,” Berube said. “You need two goalies, so it’s great that they’re both playing well and doing a good job for us.”
Said Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev: “It’s huge. They’ve been amazing for us. It’s tough to win if you don’t have a good goalie.”
The Predators, sitting 31st overall in the NHL, are bound to have their hands full with Mitch Marner. The Leafs star has recorded two points in nine of his past 11 games and leads all Toronto players in ice time with an average of 21 minutes 34 seconds a game.
Marner is the only forward in the NHL who currently leads his team in ice time.
“I think he’s one of the smartest players in the league,” Predators captain Roman Josi said. “When he has the puck, he sees things that other players don’t see and he always makes something out of nothing. You never quite know what he’s going to do.”
And this from ex-Leafs centre Ryan O’Reilly: “He’s slippery, that’s for sure. He’s one of those guys that is so elusive out there. You think he’s off-balance and he’s still in control and makes the play.
“You have to be in control going at him, because if he catches you reaching, he is going to burn you and find ways around you.”
Juuse Saros will start in goal for Nashville.
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