Keep it going, Nick Robertson, and take it one step further.
That was the message from Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube on Saturday morning before the team travelled to Montreal to take on the Canadiens in a preseason game at the Bell Centre.
Robertson scored against the Canadiens on Thursday thanks to his hustle on the forecheck, taking advantage of the energy he brings to each shift.
“We need him to lead tonight by example,” Berube said at the Ford Performance Centre. “When you have a younger group like this, and you have a player that has played in the NHL and he’s coming off a good, solid hockey game, he needs another one. We need another one.”
Robertson’s plan would be to heed his coach’s words.
“I’m just liking how I’m getting my reps and getting my feel good with the puck,” Robertson said. “Each game you play, the more reps you get off, the more you feel confident and I’m looking forward to playing tonight.”
Berube isn’t taking a veteran-laden roster to Montreal for the Leafs’ fourth of six preseason games.
The plan is for Dennis Hildeby to play the full game in net, backed up by Artur Akhtyamov.
On the blue line, Simon Benoit is the lone defenceman who is bound to be in the opening-night lineup.
At forward is where it gets interesting, as a group vying for few spots will be in uniform. That includes Robertson, Easton Cowan, Pontus Holmberg and Steven Lorentz.
The thinking is growing that Lorentz is in the same boat as Max Pacioretty — they’re in camp on a professional tryout, with the expectation that a contract is ready to be signed once general manager Brad Treliving sorts out his roster and salary cap issues.
“I’m getting the timing back down pat,” Lorentz said. “I’m just looking forward to taking another step forward in the right direction, using my size and my speed and holding on to pucks in the corners, against the boards, and getting to that net.
“I’m trying not to think about what’s ahead, just the game ahead of me.”
Matthew Knies also will play in Montreal.
Neither John Tavares nor Bobby McMann was on the ice on Saturday. Tavares continues to deal with some lower-body stiffness, while McMann had a maintenance day.
“He’s one of the guys who is a little sore and banged up a little from camp, but he’s fine,” Berube said in reference to McMann.
Calle Jarnkrok participated in the first half of practice before departing. The veteran winger has been recovering from a lower-body issue.
And Berube said he is hopeful that defenceman Jani Hakanpaa, following a team day off on Sunday, will join the main group in practice early next week.
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