MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 13-7-2 · 1ST IN EAST, ATLANTIC
13-7-2 · 1ST IN EAST, ATLANTIC
Next Game at Lightning · Sun 12:00AM
Sheldon Keefe | Practice | Toronto Maple Leafs Sheldon Keefe | Practice
Simon Benoit | Practice | Toronto Maple Leafs Simon Benoit | Practice
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
Morgan Rielly - Still sidelined versus Sabres Rielly (upper body) will remain on the shelf against Buffalo on Saturday. Coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters, "It looks like he's turned the corner here and should be on the ice in...
Impact Rielly will be out of action for a third straight game due to his lingering upper-body issue. Still, the blueliner seems to be making progress and could be back on the blue line sooner rather than later. With Timothy Liljegren (upper body) and Joel Edmundson (undisclosed) both facing extended absences, the Leafs will have to rely heavily on Simon Benoit and Conor Timmins until Rielly can't get back on the ice.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
Mitchell Marner - Also sidelined Monday Marner (ankle) -- who had previously been ruled out versus the Sabres on Saturday -- won't be available against the Panthers on Monday either, Mark Masters of TSN reports.
Impact The Leafs clearly aren't rushing Marner back onto the ice, preferring to get him some additional practice time before thrusting him back into the lineup. If he comes through Tuesday's practice unscathed, the winger may be ready to suit up when Toronto squares off with Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Bobby McMann continues to fill a top-six role without Marner in the lineup.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
Ilya Samsonov - Starting Saturday Samsonov will patrol the road crease in Buffalo on Saturday, Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun reports.
Impact It will be Samsonov's first start in four games as he was out for a couple of contests with a calf contusion, and then backed up Jacob Woll on Wednesday. Samsonov is 19-6-7 with a 3.12 GAA and an .889 save percentage. He is 1-1-0 versus the Sabres this season, stopping 24 shots on March 6 in a 2-1 overtime win, while giving up five goals on 19 shots in December in a 9-3 blowout loss.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
Maple Leafs D Simon Benoit inks 3-year extension Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit signed a three-year contract extension worth $4.05 million on Friday.Benoit, 25, has recorded fi...
MARCH 29 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM
Game 72 | The Leaf: Blueprint Moment | Toronto Maple Leafs Game 72 | The Leaf: Blueprint Moment
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
Simon Benoit - Secures three-year deal Benoit inked a three-year, $4.05 million contract with Toronto on Friday.
Impact Benoit has logged 54 games for the Leafs this season in which he has notched one goal on 48 shots and four assists while averaging 16:55 of ice time. While the 25-year-old blueliner won't offer much in the way of offensive upside, he does have value in formats that utilize hits and blocks, as he has racked up 204 and 82, respectively.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
State Your Case: Matthews' chance at 66 goals with Maple Leafs | NHL.com NHL.com writers debate whether forward will score most in season since Ovechkin in 2007-08
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
And now the answers to your questions in our Maple Leafs mailbag ... Thanks for taking part in our first mailbag regarding the Maple Leafs.
MARCH 29 • TORONTOSUN.COM
Joseph Woll - Not really tested in win Woll made 23 saves in a 5-1 win over the Capitals on Thursday.
Impact Woll was good, but not spectacular. But he didn't need to be. The Leafs overwhelmed the Caps with their speed and that made Woll's job easy. He needs to build up game stamina as the Leafs approach the postseason, but it remains to be seen how coach Sheldon Keefe will deploy Ilya Samsonov (calf) and Woll over the last 10 games or so.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
Auston Matthews - Six-game, 12-point streak Matthews (illness) had a game-high 10 shots on goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over the Capitals.
Impact He looked no worse for wear after missing the earlier skate because of illness. Matthews is still waiting on his 60th goal of the season, but was able to extend his scoring streak to six games and 12 points, including four goals.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
Tyler Bertuzzi - Six goals in last seven games Bertuzzi scored twice Thursday in a 5-1 win over Washington.
Impact Bertuzzi scored his first on an odd play on clean ice just 18 seconds into the second period. He banked a shot off Charlie Lindgren from behind the net to push the Leafs up 2-0. That goal stood as the winner. In the third, Bert topped off the scoring on another odd play when he knocked down a pass attempt from a Caps defender who was skating out from behind the net. He then wired a shot into a gaping net with Lindgren out of position. Bertuzzi has six goals (eight points) in his last seven games, a stark contrast to his one-goal-in-32 games span from the end of Nov. to the middle of Feb.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
Mark Giordano - Goal in return from injury Giordano (concussion) scored a goal Thursday in a 5-1 win over the Capitals.
Impact It was his first game back after missing 12 games with a concussion. Giordano took a pass from Matthew Knies and fired high blocker side from above the left face-off-circle. It ended a 30-game goal drought that dated back to Oct. 28 against the Preds. More touching was Gio's gesture after the goal as he pointed to the sky to honor his father who died last month. Giordano isn't much of a fantasy force, but Thursday was a night to remember.
MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE
Bertuzzi getting hot at the right time, scores two in Maple Leafs win Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice against the Washington Capitals, giving him 11 goals in his past 15 games.
MARCH 29 • TORONTOSUN.COM
Sheldon Keefe | Post Game | Toronto Maple Leafs Sheldon Keefe | Post Game
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
Mark Giordano | Post Game | Toronto Maple Leafs Mark Giordano | Post Game
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
Capitals, unable to get a grip, are 'overwhelmed' by Maple Leafs The Capitals dug themselves an early hole and struggled to maintain their grip all night. “There was plays to be made, and we just didn’t ma...
MARCH 29 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM
Maple Leafs vs. Capitals observations: Dominant effort highlighted by Giordano's return Giordano played in his first game since Feb. 29, and made it count.
MARCH 29 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Scotiabank Game Highlights | WSH | Toronto Maple Leafs Scotiabank Game Highlights | WSH
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
Connor Dewar | Post Game | Toronto Maple Leafs Connor Dewar | Post Game
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
Joseph Woll | Post Game | Toronto Maple Leafs Joseph Woll | Post Game
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
Tyler Bertuzzi scores twice, Maple Leafs beat the Capitals 5-1 Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice to give him six goals in seven games, Joseph Woll made 24 saves in a bounce-back performance and the Toronto Map...
MARCH 29 • SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.COM
Bertuzzi's 2 goals help Maple Leafs defeat Capitals | NHL.com Giordano scores in return for Toronto; Washington’s 3-game win streak ends
MARCH 29 • NHL.COM
