Jets coach Paul Maurice wouldn’t reveal Winnipeg’s lines for tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it looks like Evander Kane will be scratched.
That’s based off the fact that Kane stayed on the ice after the Jets’ morning skate was over and the vast majority of his teammates had made their way to the locker room. In addition to that being typical of a player that will be scratched, it is unusual for Kane in particular to skate that long, according to the Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe.
Making Kane’s potential absence all the more glaring is how Maurice chose to explain his decision to start goaltender Ondrej Pavelec tonight.
“Whenever possible you put your best lineup in there,” Maurice said, per PHT’s Joe Yerdon. “They deserve it. The Toronto Maple Leafs deserve it and so do the other teams.”
The 22-year-old forward is in the second season of a six-year, $31.5 million contract, but he has just 17 goals and 39 points in 60 games this season.
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