Shawn Matthias reveals that playing for the Maple Leafs was a childhood dream: Leafs Morning Take

"Meantime, we debated when we'll see Anthony Stolarz play in a game for the Maple Leafs again. On Tuesday, he was sent to the Marlies (AHL) for a conditioning stint. According to several reports, this move was made more to get him some extra practice time as opposed to getting him some game reps. It will be fascinating to see if and when he's available to get in there."

"After this game with Detroit, the Leafs will have seven games remaining before the Olympic break. After that, it will be a sprint to the trade deadline on March 6th. Speaking of which, on Tuesday, TSN's Darren Dreger once again linked the Leafs, among a few other squads, to Calgary's Nazem Kadri. We debated the probability of that actually coming to fruition. Yeah, we're not banking on it."

"Joseph Will, who's surrendered 5+ goals in back-to-back games, will get the call. Matthew Knies, who missed practice on Tuesday, will play. Toronto's 9-2-3 since moving on from Marc Savard. This is a big game in the standings. They're eight points back of Detroit with one game in hand. Additionally, Auston Matthews is on complete fire, so that bodes well for a Leafs team who direly needs a win. The Leafs captain has 11 goals in his past 12 outings."

The Maple Leafs lost 6-3 to Minnesota to begin a pivotal five-game homestand and urgently need a regulation win against Detroit, having failed to win the season series (0-2-1). Anthony Stolarz was sent to the Marlies for a conditioning stint reportedly intended for extra practice rather than immediate game action. Seven games remain before the Olympic break and the trade deadline looms on March 6. TSN's Darren Dreger again linked Toronto to Nazem Kadri, though the acquisition seems unlikely. Joseph Will will start; Matthew Knies is expected to play. Auston Matthews has 11 goals in his past 12 games.

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