Stolarz partial participant in practice, Knies gets early work, McMann promoted to top line

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz was a partial participant in Friday’s practice, departing before line rushes started.

It was Stolarz’s first practice since suffering a knee injury on December 12 against the Anaheim Ducks. The 31-year-old is expected to return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup in January and TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Stolarz could be back in the lineup within the next 5-7 days.

Joseph Woll and Matt Murray both attended practice Friday. It’s unclear who will start against the Ottawa Senators, but Woll is getting the vast majority of starts with Stolarz working his way back from injury. Murray was called up from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Thursday, while Dennis Hildeby was sent down.

Matthew Knies participated in an individual session before practice began. Knies left Wednesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets after colliding with Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko near the end of the second period and did not return. The Leafs Nation’s Nick Alberga reports that Knies is day-to-day with a knee injury.

Bobby McMann was promoted to Toronto’s top line in Knies’ place, alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. McMann has become an essential part of the team with 13 goals and 21 points and his elite straight-line speed ought to compliment the strengths of his star linemates.

McMann and Max Domi took part on Toronto’s top power play unit, alongside Matthews, Marner and William Nylander, while Morgan Rielly, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nick Robertson and Fraser Minten joined Nylander on the second group. It’s possible that Nylander could be spending the duration of the power play on the ice, something he’s done regularly this season.

Here is the Maple Leafs’ projected lineup for Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, based on line rushes posted by David Alter of The Hockey News:

Bobby McMann-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner 

Max Domi-Pontus Holmberg-William Nylander

Steven Lorentz-David Kampf-Nick Robertson

Jacob Quillan-Fraser Minten-Ryan Reaves

Morgan Rielly-Jake McCabe

Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Chris Tanev

Simon Benoit-Philippe Myers

Joseph Woll

Matt Murray