TOR at BUF
Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres. Preview from the model, the licensed feeds and last season's measures. Nothing here is a betting recommendation.
- Model now
- Expected score
- Market
- —
- Venue
- KeyBank Center
What the model says now
Lineups not yet published: each club's usual lineup assumed. Starting goalie not confirmed: goaltending held at league average. This estimate moves until the ledger freezes it before puck drop.
Source: CapOrCup game model (derived from club ratings, rest and starters)
What the schedule did to each side
Nights off, back-to-backs, third games in four nights, road-trip position and travel since the last game, from the statistical schedule. Shown as facts; rest is in the price, travel is not.
2 nights off · game 4 of a road trip
1 night off · fourth in six
In goal
The league names no starter before puck drop. First on each club's depth chart, from the licensed feed, is the expected starter.
Anthony Stolarz
Colten Ellis
Expected lines
What each club intends per the feed's depth chart, with each forward's shooter rating (Elo, against the goalies faced last season). A listing is the club's statement, not a game sheet.
Toronto Maple Leafs
L1 Kirill Marchenko (above the league middle) · Auston Matthews (below the league middle) · Jack Roslovic (above the league middle)
L2 Easton Cowan (above the league middle) · Nick Paul (below the league middle) · William Nylander (top tenth of the league)
L3 Gavin McKenna · Colton Sissons (below the league middle) · Bo Groulx
D1 Jake McCabe (above the league middle) · Darren Raddysh (top tenth of the league)
D2 Morgan Rielly (above the league middle) · Chris Tanev
PP1 Kirill Marchenko (above the league middle) · Easton Cowan (above the league middle) · William Nylander (top tenth of the league) · Darren Raddysh (top tenth of the league) · Auston Matthews (below the league middle)
Buffalo Sabres
L1 Josh Norris (above the league middle) · Tage Thompson (top tenth of the league) · Jack Quinn (below the league middle)
L2 Zach Benson (below the league middle) · Noah Ostlund (above the league middle) · Josh Doan (above the league middle)
L3 Peyton Krebs (below the league middle) · Ryan McLeod (above the league middle) · Justin Danforth
D1 Mattias Samuelsson (top tenth of the league) · Rasmus Dahlin (above the league middle)
D2 Olen Zellweger (below the league middle) · Owen Power (above the league middle)
PP1 Jack Quinn (below the league middle) · Zach Benson (below the league middle) · Noah Ostlund (above the league middle) · Tage Thompson (top tenth of the league) · Rasmus Dahlin (above the league middle)
Who the clubs list as out
Club-announced listings relayed by the licensed feed. No cause is inferred; Day To Day players are shown but not counted as out.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Cade Webber (D): Out (elbow), listed since 2026-09-29, expected back 2026-10-31
Chris Tanev (D): Out (upper body), listed since 2026-10-10, expected back 2026-10-22
Dakota Joshua (C): Out (abdomen), listed since 2026-09-28, expected back 2026-10-24
Elvis Merzlikins (G): Out (shoulder), listed since 2026-08-20, expected back 2027-03-30
John Tavares (C): Out (lower body), listed since 2026-10-15, expected back 2026-10-31
Max Domi (C): Out (back), listed since 2026-09-11, expected back 2026-11-21
Miles Wood (LW): Out (undisclosed), listed since 2026-10-15, expected back 2026-10-22
William Villeneuve (D): Out (knee), listed since 2026-09-29, expected back 2026-10-31
Buffalo Sabres
Alex Lyon (G): Out (upper-body), listed since 2026-09-29, expected back 2026-10-24
Conor Timmins (D): Out (lower-body), listed since 2026-09-28, expected back 2026-10-24
Jack Rathbone (D): Out (undisclosed), listed since 2026-09-28, expected back 2026-10-24
Jason Zucker (LW): Out (abdomen), listed since 2026-09-28, expected back 2026-10-21
Matt Grzelcyk (D): Out (lower-body), listed since 2026-10-13, expected back 2026-10-21
Rasmus Dahlin (D): Out (upper-body), listed since 2026-10-12, expected back 2026-10-21
Who has the whistle
Named by the league, usually near puck drop. Each referee's record is from last season's play-by-play penalties; ranks are distance from league norms.