Not yet a week into on-ice workouts at training camp, Craig Berube seems to have decided who will make up the bulk of the Maple Leafs starting cast, along with immediate understudies.
When the players arrived Wednesday at the Ford Centre, the new coach had placed 24 familiar NHL names into Group 1, minus a sore Auston Matthews and Calle Jarnkrok. Their numbers included Nick Robertson and PTO Steven Lorentz, the latter yet to get into an exhibition game because of an upper body issue.
The second group of 23 were mostly Marlies, other fringe NHLers and young prospects, notably last year’s No. 1 pick Easton Cowan, with Nikita Grebenkin and Alex Nylander.
“It’s about time we get our team together, do things together,” Berube declared. “Chemistry is important, (line and defence) combinations are important. It’s just trying to get the structure down in our game.”
On some practice days, Berube looks pleased with what he sees on the ice. At other times, he raises his voice and tosses in some F-bombs. The Leafs have lost both pre-season tilts so far to Ottawa, 6-5 in overtime using mostly stars, where defence and puck control were issues, and 2-1 on the road with a lesser lineup.
Naturally, the absence of Matthews created a buzz, after he’d departed Tuesday’s practice for the non-travelling game group. But Berube is sticking with “maintenance day” as the reason, versus defining any upper or lower body injury.
Asked if Matthews could miss the two games against Montreal this week, Berube showed he won’t be as forthcoming on injury timelines as Sheldon Keefe.
“I’m not going to comment, that’s a hypothetical question I can’t answer”, was the reply, though he did say Jarnkrok is getting past a lower-body issue.
Max Domi stepped in for Matthews between Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies on Wednesday, with Berube noting that Domi can play centre and both wings. John Tavares and Max Pacioretty remained together, joined by Pontus Holmberg. The experiment of William Nylander at centre is now with Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson in for Jarnkrok, while Lorentz is where he started before his injury, left wing with centre David Kampf and Ryan Reaves.
TRAINING CRAMPS FOR COWAN
We’re going to bet Berube wanted close pals Cowan and centre Fraser Minten together the past two weeks, either in practice or a game after he saw them dominate in rookie camp with Grebenkin.
That all went south when Minten suffered a high-ankle sprain in a rookie game at Montreal. Cowan is without a point in two exhiibitions and was not as noticeable as last year, despite a monster season in the OHL.
Cowan’s first thoughts were for Minten, who made the Leafs a year ago, but is now in a walking cast.
“It’s very sad, but he’s getting better and has a positive attitude, cheering me on,” said Cowan, who wasn’t discouraged to be on the ‘B’ list for now.
“I’m still having fun, it’s a day-by-day thing,” he said. “I still haven’t found my groove yet. Eventually I will. I’m fighting it a bit too much, but today I felt better.”
Berube lamented losing Minten, too, but said he had to press on with alternate plans and seemed to suggest that Cowan look ahead, as well.
“I get that they have chemistry and they’ve been together for a bit now,” the coach said. “We love Fraser as a player. But I don’t think it’s affected (Cowan). He’s done some good things and there are things he could improve upon for sure. But he’s not the only one.
“There’s a lot of camp left. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
MYERS WANTS TO MOVE UP
One defenceman who likely won’t be in the picture to start the season, but not far from management’s thoughts, is Philippe Myers. At 6-foot-6, 213 pounds, the Moncton, N.B., native brings 158 games of NHL experience to the organization, including five starts last year with Tampa Bay.
It would be the second time he sees time with the Marlies after 16 games in 2021-22, though he is willing to bide his time.
“I want to make the best impression I can, whether it’s with the Leafs or somewhere else,” Myers said. “I’m just going to try and help the team win, play some good defence, try and add something. I was told there was opportunity here, it’s one of the main reasons I signed.
“There’s a lot of high-end talent and the best players in the world are at this camp. It’s been cool to come in here. Craig wants us to play simple, fast, get pucks on the net and not complicate things. That’s right up my alley, what I’ve tried to do in past years.”
HELLO UP THERE
Not many goalies see eye-to-eye with Dennis Hildeby, though Anthony Stolarz is an exception.
When the 6-foot-7 rookie Hildeby was getting dressed in Ottawa on Tuesday, the newly acquired free agent from Florida was in the next stall, listed at almost the same dimensions at 6-foot-6.
“I love it that he’s here, to have someone my size to look at,” Hildeby said. “There are a lot of similarities. And he’s a great guy, just chatting with him off of the ice.
“He gave me great feedback at the last morning skate, a couple of good reminders to get me mentally ready (Hildeby has yet to be in a regular season game) and I really appreciated that.”
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