Nylander's Hot Start Meets Nashville's Josi-Stamkos Combo in Toronto

Two teams sitting below .500 meet at Scotiabank Arena tonight, and both need a win badly enough that this one should have some genuine edge to it. We don't have a model lean on this game, so we're going straight to the tape — and the early-season numbers tell an interesting story.

Toronto comes in at 1-2-0, already feeling the pressure of a fanbase that doesn't do patience. The good news for Leafs supporters is that William Nylander looks like a problem for opposing defenses right out of the gate — he leads the team with 2 goals and 3 points through three games, which is exactly the kind of production Toronto needs from its top end to stay competitive. Behind him, Morgan Rielly has been the engine on the back end, racking up 3 assists to lead the team in that category. Anthony Stolarz is expected to start in net, and how he handles a Nashville group that can generate offense will go a long way toward determining Toronto's night.

Nashville arrives at 1-1-0, which looks more stable on paper, but the Predators have their own questions to answer. Roman Josi has been doing Roman Josi things — 1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points — carrying the defensive corps as he typically does. The more intriguing name, though, is Steven Stamkos, who leads Nashville with 2 points through his early games as a Predator. How Stamkos fits into this offense is one of the more compelling storylines of the young season, and tonight is another data point. Juuse Saros is expected to take the crease for Nashville, and if he's sharp, he gives the Predators a genuine chance to steal two points on the road.

We don't have a validated model read for this one, and we're not going to manufacture a lean where there isn't one. What we can say is that the individual matchup between Nylander and Josi — one driving Toronto's offense, the other anchoring Nashville's defense — is worth watching closely. Toronto's home crowd will be loud and impatient. Nashville will need Saros to be the difference-maker he's capable of being. Puck drops at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+ and Scripps Sports.