Leafs and Senators announce Tuesday night line-ups
The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators have announced their line-ups for their first pre-season match-ups of the year.
The majority of the Leafs expected starters come October, will be sitting out the first game. However, the club will feature a line made up of youngsters Nazem Kadri, Colby Armstrong and Kris Versteeg. The media in Toronto has been swarming around Kadri
all week as the Leafs’ public is eager to get a look the franchise’s first-round draft pick from 2009. There has been widespread speculation that Kadri will be suiting up for the Leafs in the regular season, because of the clubs lack of depth at the centre
position. The inclusion of Versteeg and Armstrong in the line-up will give general manager Brian Burke a chance to get a look at his two major acquisitions during the off-season. Versteeg came over in a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks, while Armstrong was
signed as a free agent in July. Both veterans are expected to start the season on one of the club’s top lines.
The Leafs have also mentioned that they will go with the goaltending tandem of Jonas Gustavsson and Jussi Rynnas to start the pre-season.
The Senators have chosen to leave nearly all their big names at home in Ottawa for their first game of the pre-season. However, the club is bringing along youngster Nick Foligno, as the New York native continues to challenge for a spot among the Sens top-six
forwards.
Perhaps most importantly for the Senators, Tuesday’s match-up will provide the club’s brass with a chance to get a look at defenseman Jared Cowan and Brian Lee, who will be fighting for the final roster spot made available after Filip Kuba suffered a knee
injury.
The Leafs will take on the Senators in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre Tuesday night.
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