Colorado Avalanche vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: Preview & Predictions For Dec. 31 Showdown

Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs will meet on New Year's Eve at Ball Arena. It will be the first of two regular-season meetings between the two teams. The Avs have been hit by injuries and are struggling to keep up with the top teams in their division. Toronto is on a 15-game point streak and is playing catch-up for the Stanley Cup.

Nathan MacKinnon is expected to play against Toronto on Saturday. Gabriel Landeskog is still out injured. Bowen Byram hasn't played since Nov. 4, Josh Manson is injured and Jake Muzzin is out. Morgan Rielly is also injured, but Toronto has a lot of talented players. Toronto won't be a match for Colorado until Mackinnon and Landekskag are back.

The Maple Leafs are one of the few teams that can keep pace with the world-class speed and skill that Colorado's top players bring to the table. The Maple Leaf's forwards Murray and Samsonov have played like All-Stars for the Leafs in 2022-23.