The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Vancouver Canucks at Scotiabank Arena tonight.

The Maple Leafs – riding an eight-game point streak (6-0-2)- will welcome back William Nylander to the lineup tonight. He’s missed the last six games with a lower-body injury.

“He can be a difference maker and it’s nice to have him back,” said John Tavares. “We’ve missed him.”

“He’s a great player who brings speed and skill,” said coach Craig Berube. “He adds offence. It’s great to have him back.”

With Nylander’s return, the head coach shuffled the lines in the morning skate.

Nylander was slotted on the right wing with Tavares and Matias Maccelli. As a result, Matthew Knies goes back to the top line with Auston Matthews and Max Domi. While Bobby McMann was skating on a line with Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz.

“It’s tough, tough decisions,” said Berube. “I kept the Roy line (Nicolas Roy with Easton Cowan and Nick Robertson) together. I really like what they’ve been doing lately. That’s just the way it goes. When people come back, you’ve got to make some lineup changes.”

Nylander also returns to the top power-play unit alongside Matthews, Maccelli, Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly. That means Tavares moves to the second unit with Max Domi, Nick Robertson, Nicolas Roy and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

“I like what Maccelli has done on it, I like Knies in the bumper, and I love the rotation of Willie and Knies in the net front bumper. It just gives us more options,” said Berube. “I spoke with JT about it. He’s a good team guy and he’s fine. He can be really effective with the other unit too.”

The Leafs’ power play has gone 0-5 in the past three games.

Despite missing 10 games this season, Nylander leads the team in assists (27) and points (41).

Late during the morning skate, Nylander ran into Berube. Neither was hurt and the head coach stayed on his feet.

“I’m a little overweight,” laughed Berube. “He’s told me to let up on him.”

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Defenceman Jake McCabe took part in the morning skate and is a game-time decision.

He’s missed the last two games with a lower-body injury. He suffered the injury last Saturday against the Islanders.

“Luckily, it wasn’t too serious,” said McCabe this morning. “Whether I play tonight or not, it’s nice to get back in the fold pretty quickly here.”

“It’s not fun watching at home,” added McCabe who took in Thursday’s overtime win over the Flyers from home. “It’s a little bit more nerve-wracking when you’re sitting on the couch than when you’re on the ice.”

On the Leafs’ current stretch of success, McCabe said, “It’s a game of confidence. Once you feel it as a group, it’s dangerous and a good thing.”

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Following the game tonight vs the Canucks, the Leafs head out on a four-game road trip starting Monday in Colorado. Berube refuses to look ahead.

“I don’t know how you look ahead, I really don’t,” Berube said. “I don’t understand that thought process. Tonight’s the most important game. We need to focus on the game tonight. Have a good start and initiate right away.”

“It’s the intensity level for me, just being detailed and ready to go, no matter what opponent you are playing. Tonight is a good example of that. We have to have a high intensity level right away. We need a strong team game again.”

“They’ll be going hard tonight,” said Canucks coach Adam Foote. “We have to be ready at the drop of the puck.”

The Canucks come in winless in their past five games. They are allowing 3.53 goals per game (31st in NHL) and a penalty kill that is running at 79.3 per cent (30th). Tonight’s game is the third of a six-game road trip.

“For the most part, we’ve been resilient,” said Foote of his team, still searching for a win in January. “I think we got caught a couple of times letting it (trailing behind in games) affect us mentally, where we got away from what we were doing, maybe trying too hard to do something at the wrong time. We have to keep working.”

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The Leafs will face David Kampf for the first time tonight since he had his contract terminated by the club in November.

That occurred after Kampf walked away from the club after he played four games with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League.

“I don’t want to talk about it too much,” said Kampf this morning. “I just made a decision, I think I’m happy with my decision. I’m here and I’m moving forward.”

When asked if he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder tonight, the 30-year-old, who spent four seasons in Toronto, said, “I wouldn’t say chip, but I am excited. I have a lot of friends there.”

Kampf signed a one-year deal with the Canucks in mid-November and has scored two goals and an assist in 22 games with Vancouver.

“It’s great for him,” Berube said. “We all like Kampf here. He was here a long time. There are decisions that have to be made. I’m glad he’s back playing.”

Kampf is expected to centre a line tonight with Drew O’Connor and Kiefer Sherwood.

“He’s a true pro,” said Foote this morning. “He’s a good person, and we’ve been beat up through the middle all year, and he’s given us some relief for sure.”

“I really enjoyed playing with him,” said Tavares. “He is extremely hardworking and a competitive person. He played some really good hockey for us. I’m excited that he’s going to the Olympics. I know that’s a big honour for him.”

Kampf was recently named to Czechia’s roster for the Winter Olympics in February in Italy. It will be his first experience at the Olympics. He’s played for Czechia at the World Championship three times.

“It means a lot,” Kampf said. “It’s a big tournament for us, for the whole Czech Republic, so I’m excited I got picked and I can play.”

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The Maple Leafs expect to have goaltender Anthony Stolarz back in the lineup soon, as he continues to progress from an upper-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since November 11.

“He’s coming along well,” said coach Berube. “He’s been skating here for a bit now. I think it’s close to where he will be with us full-time.”

Will he join the team on the 4-game road trip?

“I do believe he’ll be on the trip with us,” Berube said.

Stolarz struggled prior to his injury. In 13 games this season, he has posted a 3.51 goals against average and a .884 save percentage.

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Leafs lines at morning skate:

Knies-Matthews-Domi

Maccelli-Tavares-Nylander

Cowan-Roy-Robertson

McMann-Laughton-Lorentz

Extra: Jarnkrok

Rielly-Carlo

McCabe-OEL

Benoit-Stecher

Extra: Myers, Mermis, Benning

Woll – projected starter

Hildeby

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Leafs PP units

Rielly

Maccelli , Knies, Matthews

Nylander

PP2

OEL

Domi, Tavares, Robertson

Roy

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Canucks lines in the morning skate (from @thomasdrance)

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Karlsson

Öhgren-Sasson-Boeser

O’Connor-Kampf-Sherwood

Kane-Räty-Höglander

M. Pettersson-Hronek

Buium-Myers

E. Pettersson – Willander

Demko – expected to start

Lankinen

Extras: Joseph, Bains

Red non-contact: Garland, Blueger, Chytil