The NHL season is ready to kick off on Tuesday night with a slate of games on the schedule and after the lockout wiped out the beginning of last year, things will start up early with the Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off, as the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre in Quebec.
The Maple Leafs are coming into the season after making their first appearance in the playoffs in years and the team will be looking to rebound after allowing the Boston Bruins to defeat them in a stunning comeback in Game 7. The Bruins of course went on to win the Stanley Cup and now the Leafs will get the chance to start things off with a game against the rival Montreal Canadiens as each tries to be the first Canadian team to win the Cup in years.
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The Leafs and Canadiens will kick off the season just before the Chicago Blackhawks start up against the Washington Capitals and then later on the Edmonton Oilers and the Winnipeg Jets will battle in the later game. The Leafs are coming into the game with some good news, as star Phil Kessel is now locked up in Toronto for most of the next decade after signing an extension. According to ESPN.com, Kessel will now be a member of the Maple Leafs for the next eight seasons and the deal will be for about $8 million per.
Kessel was originally traded top the team from the Boston Bruins and he was integral to the club last season and now he will not have to worry about his contract, which was set to be done at the end of this season. Kessel previously said that he did not want to negotiate his deal doing the year and now the Leafs can cross one more thing off their checklist. Kessel has been the best player for the Leafs over the past couple seasons and he has been the leader in scoring in all four seasons that he has played there, including last season when he recorded 50 points, including 20 goals.
The Maple Leafs feel they have a deep playoff run in them and while it almost happened last season, things changed very quickly in Game 7 against the Bruins, as they allowed the team to make a furious comeback from a 4-1 lead and they were sent home and of course the Bruins won the Cup. The team is bringing back James Reimer and after making the playoffs for the first time since back in 2004, they are looking to do it in back to back seasons in the East.
The team was not quiet in the offseason, as they acquired Dave Bolland from the champion Blackhawks and also added David Clarkson in free agency to help with the scoring. The Maple Leafs feel that with some extra firepower, they have the defense and the goaltending to win the division and that will start against Montreal, who is looking to bounce back after a disappointing season last year that saw the team go 29-14-5 before losing in the playoffs to another Canadian team in the Senators.
Check here for the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens live stream.