TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Maple Leafs and Panthers held morning skates ahead of Thursday night's game at the Air Canada Centre.  

- Teenagers Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will go up against 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr, the oldest man in the NHL, tonight. Matthews described the opportunity as "awesome" while Marner recalled growing up and seeing other kids going out on Halloween as No. 68 with the mullet. "Every game is eye opening," Marner said. "Every game you get in you look up and see two or three of those guys that you're like, 'Oh, wow, that's pretty crazy,' and you feel lucky to be a part of that." But the Leafs rookies haven't been intimidated by opposition players yet and they don't plan on starting tonight. "You can't be thinking about that too much," Matthews said when asked if there was an "awe factor" facing a future Hall of Famer. "You go out there and daydream about who you're playing against and how good they are, it kind of screws with you." Jagr will play his 1,636th NHL game tonight passing Scott Stevens for sole possession of seventh on the all-time list.

- Matt Hunwick was paired with Frank Corrado during the morning skate and spoke often with trainers throughout the workout. After the workout wrapped up, Hunwick immediately left the ice. Babcock said the veteran defenceman is dealing with a lower-body injury and his status for tonight's game is in doubt. Martin Marincin and Roman Polak were paired together. Marincin missed the last three games (one due to injury) while Polak had been the seventh defenceman at practice on Wednesday. This was the fourth straight day (two practices, two morning skates) that the Leafs iced a different defensive alignment. 

- Claimed off waivers on Oct. 11, Seth Griffith will make his Leafs debut tonight. Babcock said he consulted with Bruins coach Claude Julien about Griffith, who had a goal and an assist in four pre-season games with Boston. "I'm like you guys, I'm going to watch," Babcock said. "He was a real good player in the American league, a real good player in juniors. Our people like him. Lots of guys in our league make good on their second and third chances more so than on their first, because the league's that tough. They learn a lot and when they go to a new spot. They're more willing to do some things without the puck that usually endears them to the coach better."

- According to Maple Leafs media relations, there is no formal video tribute planned for James Reimer, who is returning to the Air Canada Centre for the first time since being traded last season. Roberto Luongo will start for the Panthers and Reimer was asked if that's a good thing considering the emotions he may be dealing with. "When you're not playing you can maybe enjoy the experience a little more," the 28-year-old said. "I have no idea what to expect. We'll see what happens. Really enjoyed my time here, obviously we had our ups and downs and what not, but a lot of good memories and Toronto's a special place to me." Reimer could not recall ever being in the visitors' dressing room at the ACC. "I'm walking in and have no idea where anything is," he said with his trademark smile. "I'm asking the guys, 'Where's the change room?'" Reimer had dinner with Peter Holland last night and also exchanged messages with a few other former teammates.

- Tonight's game will be the first time Aaron Ekblad faces Leo Komarov since the Leafs forward knocked the Panthers defenceman out of the World Cup with a huge bodycheck. "A hit's a hit," Ekblad said when asked if there's any bad blood. "I, obviously, feel I didn't have the puck before he hit me. I also need to have my head up and protect myself. It's a vicious game and you don't sign up to get hit in the head or anything like that, but it turned out to be whiplash. I'm fine now and we're all good. We're playing hockey. It's not a pissing match or anything like that." Ekblad also shared some memories of working alongside Matthews and Rielly on Team North America. "A never-give-up attitude on that guy," Ekblad said of Matthews, "Down and out on his knees, I remember that one play, dangles the one guy, makes the pass across and ends up scoring the goal." As for Rielly: "I played with him and it was awesome. He's very sound defensively and he's able to push the play and get in the rush."

* Lines at morning skate: 

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner
Komarov-Kadri-Brown
Martin-Smith-Griffith

Scratch: Holland
Injured: Leivo (lower body) 

Rielly-Zaitsev
Gardiner-Carrick
Marincin-Polak

Scratch: Corrado 
Injured: Hunwick (lower body)

Andersen
Enroth