Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vancouver Canucks Prediction, NHL Odds
Two of the NHL’s most disappointing clubs meet on Saturday night as the Maple Leafs make their only visit of the season to Vancouver. Toronto is -150 on the NHL odds with a total of 6.5 goals.
Maple Leafs vs. Canucks NHL Betting Odds
On any list of most disappointing clubs in the league this season, Toronto and Vancouver would certainly rank high. The Maple Leafs at least still have a shot at a Wild-Card spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Canucks have the fewest points in the NHL by far under first-year coach Adam Foote – a Toronto native.
They likely will be very active selling off more pieces ahead of the trade deadline having already shipped out All-Star defenceman Quinn Hughes several weeks ago to Minnesota. Just don’t expect No. 1 netminder Thatcher Demko to be dealt. An injury-plagued season for him officially came to an end Tuesday when the team announced that Demko was to have hip surgery and miss the rest of the campaign. He will play less than 25 games for the second straight season due to hip issues.
This concludes the season series with the Leafs eyeing a sweep as they played one of their better games of the season on Jan. 10 at Scotiabank Arena, routing the Canucks 5-0 behind 29 saves from Joseph Woll and a goal and two assists from William Nylander. Demko was pulled after giving up three first-period goals on six shots for Vancouver and replaced by Kevin Lankinen.
Vancouver has still won six of the past 10 overall in the series, while the over-under is 3-6-1.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto is on a six-game skid and practically begging for the Olympic break after a 5-2 defeat in Seattle on Thursday to kick off a five-game trip that spans the break. There are a lot of reasons why the Leafs are struggling, but goaltending is certainly a big one. It was Anthony Stolarz in there vs. the Kraken, but should be back to Joseph Woll here. But the American has personally lost five straight and has a 3.69 GAA this month. And his road splits (4-4-2, 3.00 GAA) are worse).
There is potential good news with forward and leading scorer William Nylander (48 points) likely to return to the lineup after missing the past seven games injured. Toronto is 17-14-6 with Nylander in the lineup this season and 7-7-3 without. Fellow forward John Tavares is one goal away from his 16th season with 20 or more goals. Only four active players have more such.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks are dreadful but did win for the second time in 16 games on Thursday, 2-0 over Anaheim, behind rookie goalie Nikita Tolopilo. But the 25-year-old was not officially credited with his first career shutout due to weird NHL rules as he missed the first 2:11 of the second period because of concussion protocol after he was run over by Ryan Poehling late in the first. Kevin Lankinen made one save before
Tolopilo returned. And it probably will be Lankinen here. The 30-year-old has lost three in a row and is a horrendous 2-12-0 at home with a 4.04 GAA. So maybe coach Adam Foote goes with Tolopilo again, but Lankinen is the No. 1 on the depth chart with Thatcher Demko out for the season. The Canucks try for shutouts in consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 15-16, 2015. Can’t say I expect that. The Leafs probably score in the first period.
TOR
VAN