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Leafs vs Islanders Game 9 Preview: Tavares OUT Week-to-Week, McKenna on PP1, and Best Bets
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are back at Scotiabank Arena for Game 9 of the 2026-27 NHL season as they prepare to face the New York Islanders, and Zack Phillips gets you set for puck drop with a full Leafs vs. Islanders game preview!
Coming off back-to-back 5-4 losses to the Utah Mammoth and Buffalo Sabres, the Maple Leafs are looking to get back in the win column, but they'll have to do it without John Tavares. The veteran forward is now week-to-week with a lower-body injury after leaving Thursday's game against Buffalo, creating another major challenge for Jim Hiller and Toronto's forward group.
With Tavares sidelined, Gavin McKenna appears poised to return to the Maple Leafs' top power-play unit just two days after being benched for the second half of Thursday's game. Zack breaks down McKenna's opportunity, Hiller's handling of the rookie, and Toronto's new-look forward combinations, including Nick Paul moving into a top-six role alongside Easton Cowan and Kirill Marchenko.
Plus, Chris Tanev remains out week-to-week as the Maple Leafs continue to search for consistency defensively. Zack discusses Toronto's struggles protecting leads, the goaltending situation, and how the Leafs can respond against an Islanders team led by Bo Horvat, Matthew Schaefer and head coach Pete DeBoer.
We'll also revisit Kirill Marchenko's hat trick against Buffalo, Auston Matthews and William Nylander's strong starts, and what Toronto needs to do to solve an Islanders team that has been one of the NHL's toughest defensive opponents early this season.
Stick around for Zack's keys to the game, best bets, predictions and everything you need to know ahead of Leafs vs. Islanders!
Join us for some good ol' fashioned Leafs talk.
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