Maple Leafs without Kadri as Sharks pay visit

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without center Nazem Kadri when they host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday at Air Canada Centre.

Kadri left the team Tuesday morning following a death in the family. Forward Peter Holland will take his place in the lineup and center the second line between Mason Raymond and Nikolai Kulemin.

With Kulemin playing on the second line, right wing David Clarkson will slide down and play on Toronto's third line. He'll line up with center Trevor Smith and left wing Carter Ashton.

"I know some people perceive it as a demotion and we didn't look at it that way," Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. "We look at it as trying to add some balance to our lineup and with Trevor Smith playing very well for us, we thought that that would be a boost for Clarkson."

Defenseman Cody Franson missed the Maple Leafs' previous game against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and skated briefly during the morning skate. Carlyle said he'll be a game-time decision. James Reimer was the first goalie off at morning skate and likely will start.

The Sharks head into the game having won five in a row. The only change in their lineup will see forward John McCarthy sit out in favor of forward James Sheppard. Captain Joe Thornton took a puck in the eye Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks but will play.

"I'm taking his word and the trainers' word that he can see," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said.

Antti Niemi was first off for the Sharks and will start.

One major difference between the teams comes in the shot category. The Sharks lead the League in shots per game and the Maple Leafs are last in shots allowed.

"I think as a goaltender, the more shots you get the more you're in the game," Reimer said. "At the same time, you don't want 40 shots in the slot. San Jose is a good team and you hear reports they shoot the puck a lot, so as a goaltender you just have to be ready. You have to be ready for anything. The puck can come from any angle and you have to do your best to control your rebounds so they don't get second opportunities. They're obviously a really good team and we're going to have to be sharp, myself included."

Here's the projected lineups:

SHARKS

Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Tommy Wingels

Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Brent Burns

Tyler Kennedy – Joe Pavelski – Martin Havlat

James Sheppard – Andrew Desjardins – Mike Brown

Justin Braun – Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Dan Boyle – Brad Stuart

Scott Hannan – Jason Demers

Antti Niemi

Alex Stalock

Scratched: Matt Irwin, John McCarthy, Matt Pelech

Injured: Raffi Torres (torn ACL), Adam Burish (lower body)

MAPLE LEAFS

James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel

Mason Raymond – Peter Holland – Nikolai Kulemin

Carter Ashton – Trevor Smith – David Clarkson

Frazer McLaren – Jerred Smithson – Colton Orr

Carl Gunnarsson – Dion Phaneuf

Morgan Rielly – Mark Fraser

Jake Gardiner – Paul Ranger

James Reimer

Jonathan Bernier

Scratched: Cody Franson (game-time decision), Nazem Kadri, Jay McClement

Injured: Joffrey Lupul (groin), Dave Bolland (cut tendon)