Next Man Up in Newark

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee tee up tonight's Leafs game against the Devils, Matt Murray's return and the complicated goalie battle, the Leafs' puzzle of defensive pairings and who can step up in Tavares' and O'Reilly's absences. They are joined by general manager of the Devils Tom Fitzgerald, who discusses constructing a contending team, the process of acquiring Timo Meier and Jack Hughes' development (20:50). Later, NHL Network's Mike Kelly breaks down why Auston Matthews' offensive production is down, the Leafs lack of playmaking from the center position and teams he thinks can be sneaky contenders (43:21). Finally, NHL Network's Brian Lawton weighs in on how the salary cap affected this year's deadline, Jon Cooper benching his top line in Tampa and who improved the most from their deadline moves (1:07:13).

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.