TORONTO -- Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri has one goal in 12 games but coach Mike Babcock said Friday he has liked a lot of things about Kadri's game.

"I read something this morning about Nazem Kadri having a slow start," Babcock said after the Maple Leafs practiced Friday ahead of their game against the Detroit Red Wings at Air Canada Centre (7 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, FS-D, TSN4). "I think he's having the best start of his career. I think he has been phenomenal. So what I see and what [the media] sees sometimes is not the same thing. But that's no big deal."

Babcock said the fact Kadri has one goal is not a reflection of his effort.

"I think he is becoming a real player," Babcock said. "He competes on both sides of the puck and makes his teammates better. I think he's getting better every day."

TORONTO -- James Reimer and the Toronto Maple Leafs will try to make it two wins in a row when they host the Winnipeg Jets at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; SN, SN1).

Reimer, 27, was in goal when the Maple Leafs won 4-1 against the Dallas Stars on Monday for their first home win of the season. Following the game Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said he'd go back to Reimer against the Jets, and if he wins that game he'll continue to play.

That was music to Reimer's ears.

"Like I have been saying, you want to get the opportunity to in there and play well and win games and get the chance to start again," Reimer said Wednesday. "Whatever the stipulations are you get another chance. And if you play well you hope you get the chance to be there for the boys."

TORONTO -- James Reimer will start in goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday against the Dallas Stars (7:30 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, FS-SW, SNO).

Jonathan Bernier had started the previous two games. But coach Mike Babcock said that Bernier had gotten banged up a bit during a 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and wasn't ready to start Monday.

In four games this season Reimer is 1-1-1 with a 3.24 goals-against average and .876 save percentage. He last played Oct. 26, when he made 20 saves in a 4-3 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.

Reimer will have the tough task of slowing the Dallas Stars and the League's leading scorer, Jamie Benn. His 17 points are one more than teammate Tyler Seguin, and his nine goals are tied with Tyler Toffoli of the Los Angeles Kings for the League lead.

TORONTO -- Phil Kessel makes his return to Air Canada Centre with the Pittsburgh Penguins when they play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, ROOT).

Kessel was traded to the Penguins on July 1 with forward Tyler Biggs and defenseman Tim Erixon for forward Nick Spaling, defenseman Scott Harrington, forward prospect Kasperi Kapanen, and first-round and third-round picks in the 2016 NHL Draft.

"I think there'll be some boos, obviously," Kessel said after the morning skate. "That's always how it is, right? I loved my time here. I don't regret anything, and it should be fun tonight."

Kessel scored 181 goals and 395 points in 446 games for the Maple Leafs.

"It is a little odd," he said of being in the visitors dressing room at the Air Canada Centre. "I played here for six years, so it's a strange feeling, but you know what, it happens, and I'm just excited to be back.

"I played against the Leafs [with the Boston Bruins] in my first few years in the League, so I've been in this dressing room before. It's different because I love this city and I spent a lot of time here. But it's just another game and I'm going to go have fun and try to get a win."

TORONTO -- Arizona Coyotes forward Max Domi hopes the familiarity of being at Air Canada Centre will help him Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, FS-A, TSN4).

The Toronto native, whose father Tie Domi played for the Maple Leafs, is tied for the rookie lead in scoring with Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers at nine points apiece. Max Domi grew up attending his father's games and hanging out at ACC.

"It's exciting for sure," Domi said. "It is something I have had in the back of my mind my whole life, but at the same time it's just another game and I'm trying not to get too high or too low here."

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to get coach Mike Babcock his first victory of the season when they host the Ottawa Senators at Air Canada Centre on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC).

The Maple Leafs (0-2-0), who lost 3-1 to the Montreal Canadiens in their season-opener Wednesday and 4-0 against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, have won six consecutive home games against the Senators.

Babcock said he was not pleased with the effort in Detroit.

"The bottom line is [Friday] didn't go the way we wanted," Babcock said. "We played a low-event game, which is how I think we have to play. We can't give up a ton of scoring chances. The ones we did give up they scored on. There was 8:25 left in the second period and we were down 4-0 and the shots were 11-11. You ask yourself, 'Now what are we going to do?'"

TORONTO – Mike Babcock will join the oldest rivalry in hockey when he debuts as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.

The NHL's two oldest franchises have played 728 times with Montreal holding a 335-293-88-12 record.

After 10 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Babcock signed an eight-year contract worth a reported $50 million to coach the Maple Leafs, who have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967.

Babcock is not under the illusion that a quick fix is available for a franchise that has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in nine of the past 10 seasons. On the day he was hired by the Maple Leafs he said, "If you think there's no pain coming, there's pain coming."

When reminded of that comment, veteran left wing James van Riemsdyk smiled and said playing for a new coach allows all the players to hit the restart button.

TORONTO -- The Montreal Canadiens will be looking to clinch first place in the Atlantic Division and home ice advantage in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs when the play against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVA).

Montreal can secure the Atlantic Division with a win or overtime loss against Toronto. If the Canadiens lose in regulation, the Tampa Bay Lightning could clinch the division, and the second seed in the Eastern Conference, with a win against the Boston Bruins.

“As a team you always want to get to the highest point in the standings as you possibly can and we have an opportunity to get even higher than we are right now,” said Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban. “I think we have played a lot of good hockey this year and of late we have done a good job paying attention to the details that are going to make us a better hockey team come the post-season.”

TORONTO -- The Ottawa Senators will be trying for their fourth win in a row when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Center on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET; TVA, CITY).

The Senators, who are in a three-way battle with the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings for third place in the Atlantic Division, won 4-3 in overtime against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

All three teams are also in competition for a wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

The Senators held a 3-0 third period lead against the Capitals, but needed overtime to secure the victory. Ottawa center Kyle Turris decided the game with a breakaway goal, his 23rd of the season, at 3:14 of overtime. Going to extra time is nothing new for the Senators, who registered a 2-1 victoriy against the Red Wings on Tuesday in a shootout, and against the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime on Thursday.

TORONTO -- The Tampa Bay Lightning can take over first place in the Atlantic Division with a win Tuesday, but they may be without yet another key piece to their lineup.

Defenseman Victor Hedman is questionable to play against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre (7:30 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, SUN, TSN4) because of a lower-body injury.

Hedman left a 5-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday after one shift in the third period. The Lightning finished off a season sweep of the Canadiens to draw within one point of them in the Atlantic. Montreal is idle Tuesday. Each team has five regular-season games remaining.

The Lightning recalled defenseman Slater Koekkoek from Syracuse of the American Hockey League, and he could make his NHL debut if Hedman is unable to go.