Game day: Maple Leafs at Calgary Flames

SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME PUCK DROP: Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. TV: Sportsnet RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN

KEY PLAYERS

Nikita Soshnikov, Leafs, and Kris Versteeg, Flames. Versteeg will be facing one of his old teams in the Leafs and the classy veteran, coming off an injury layoff, is motivated to earn his keep with the Flames. Versteeg, who set up the Flames’ lone goal in an overtime loss to the Islanders earlier this week, chose the Flames over the Oilers back in mid October. Soshnikov has joined Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov on the Leafs’ top checking line, which has been especially strong on home ice, but less effective on the road.

NEED TO KNOW

The Flames, with a 3-7-0 record at home, led the NHL in home losses through Monday. They have underperformed this season: 26th in the NHL in both goals for and against, 30th on the power play and 29th on the penalty kill . . . Calgary forward

Johnny Gaudreau underwent surgery for a fractured finger earlier this month and is gone for up to six weeks. The 30-goal scorer signed a six-year, $40.5-million extension in October, and had 11 points in 17 games before his injury . . . A slumping Sean

Monahan was placed on the fourth line against the Islanders on Monday, and wound up scoring on a one-timer off a feed from Versteeg. Monahan is tied for the team lead in goals with six (with Michael Frolik and Matthew

Tkachuk . . . There seems to be plenty of tire-kicking with Flames defenceman Dougie Hamilton, who is rumoured to be on the trading block. The Leafs are rumoured to be among the interested parties.

UP NEXT Saturday, at Vancouver, 7 p.m.