"Tonight is going to be a massacre" — NHL fans elated as Toronto Maple Leafs' preseason game lineup features Matthews, Marner and other stars

The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action this evening (Sept. 22) for their opening exhibition game following the conclusion of Training Camp. They will be facing their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators. While these games don't count for anything in the standings, it marks the return of competitive hockey and signals that the regular season is just around the corner.

For tonight's exhibition opener, the Leafs will be featuring several of their top players in their lineup, including all "core four" players (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares). It will be the unofficial debut of Matthews wearing the "C" on his sweater since he took over the role of team captain from Tavares during the summer.

On the back end, veteran Morgan Rielly as well as offseason signings Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are expected to play. Additionally, former Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty will be skating in game action for the first time since joining the Leafs on a professional tryout agreement.

Meanwhile, Joseph Woll and Matt Murray will split duties between the pipes.

Several Leafs fans took to social media to voice their approval of getting the chance to see top players hitting the ice while expressing excitement about the chances of starting the preseason with a victory.

"Holy smokes. Nearly sold out tonight at SBA, and those fans are going to get a treat!! Tonight is going to be a massacre," one fan opined.

"Starting preseason with a bang I see....I'm here for it," another fan said.

"That's the way a lineup should be, start the players that are going to be on the team, get them up to game speed before the real season begins!" another fan wrote.

The Leafs wanted an even mix of talent for their exhibition opener

According to coach Craig Berube, he wanted an even mix of established talent along with young players who made a name for themselves during Training Camp and want a chance to showcase their skills.

"I got a lot of veterans in there at home tonight. Some real good players, but I also have some young guys in there to look at that have been good at camp in my opinion and deserve this opportunity to get a look," Berube said about tonight's lineup.

Per David Alter of The Hockey News, here are the anticipated Toronto line combinations:

Tonight's game is set to begin at 7 pm EST from Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto.