The Rangers And Maple Leafs Set For Heavyweight Battle

At last the Rampaging Rangers face a REAL team Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Sometimes Beautiful Downtown Toronto.

No more non-playoff flubby teams like the never-make the playoffs Red Wings; at least for now.

And by the way – because it matters – The Hockey News Yearbook picks the Leafs to finish second in the Atlantic.

"The mediocre way Florida is playing," says The Old Scout, "Toronto could finish first."

In a hockey sense, the Blueshirts and the Royal Blue Leafs are strange bedfellows. Toronto hasn't won a Cup since 1967 while the Manhattan Marauders sipped champagne a good 30 years ago.

At least Peter Laviolette's sextet scrambled to the third playoff round last spring. The Leafs did what they do so well; and exited the first round.

What will make this clash so interesting is the competition between the two goal machines, Artemi (Hat Trick) Panarin and Auston Matthews who was limited to 69 goals last season.

"Matthews and William Nylander will combine for somewhere around 100 goals," says Casey Ippolito in The Hockey News Yearbook, "while John Tavares and Mitch Marner should eclipse 20 apiece."

But the Leafs defense is weaker than New York's and you'd need a combined Ouija Board, Crystal Ball and Tea Leaves Reader to figure out who's in goal for Toronto.

Pistol Pete will come back with The Bank Of Shesterkin. You can bet that if he beats the Leafs – and he should by two goals – his agent will up the contract ante with Chris Drury.

Then again, if Matthews & Co. somehow riddle the beloved Visitors then our beloved goalie's agent may drop his demands by about 40 cents.

My Maven eyes will focus on prize rookie defenseman Victor Mancini. If he scores the way he did in Detroit, I'd start worrying if my name was Jacob Trouba.

The other issue is Matt Rempe. Another scratching – very likely – and The People's Choice may have to check the Amtrak schedule for Hartford.