William Nylander was once the new kid on the Buds’ block.
On Wednesday morning, he looked around the dressing room and saw three Marlies call-ups, including Nikita Grebenkin about to make his NHL debut against the Vegas Golden Knights.
“I never thought I’d be on the other side of it,” the 28-year-old Nylander said with a smile. “It’s pretty cool to see young kids come in here.”
But it isn’t by design. One by one, six Toronto forwards were picked off, Calle Jarnkrok in training camp, Auston Matthews on Nov. 3, Max Pacioretty a couple of weeks ago and last week’s carnage — David Kampf, Max Domi and the Ryan Reaves suspension.
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That resulted in Alex Steeves getting summoned, followed by Fraser Minten early this week and Grebenkin for Wednesday’s game after Domi was moved to injured reserve and Kampf from IR to LTIR.
The latter move, which will mean Kampf can’t come back until mid-December, was necessitated for extra cap space to accommodate Grebenkin.
“The biggest thing I tell these (new) guys is you have to be responsible defensively,” Berube said.
Steeves will be playing his ninth NHL game since the 2021-22 season, Minten played four last year and this will be a big night for ‘22 draft pick Grebenkin.
The Russian found out Tuesday evening he was playing, making it an ideal dinner with Ilya Samsonov, the former Leafs goalie who returns Wednesday as the Knights back-up. Samsonov and Grebenkin are both from Magnitogorsk, Russia.
“I enjoy the hard work (getting this far). Today, the Leafs give me a chance,” Grebenkin said in broken English. “I will try and help the team win … if I don’t, I won’t enjoy.”
He has been in touch with his family back home, who will try to watch the game.
Berube was impressed with Grebenkin at camp and got good reports as he picked up 10 points in 13 AHL games.
“He’s a big guy (6-foot-2), strong on pucks, physical,” the coach said. “That’s your game and use that to your advantage, use your size in the offensive zone.”
Berube wasn’t surprised to learn Matthew Tkachuk is Grebenkin’s favourite NHL player.
“This kid is not watching the other stuff Tkachuk is great at, the extra-curricular activities,” he said. “It’s the net, the little plays around it. That’s why he’s such a great player. This kid has the potential to do that stuff, good hand in tight. He’s got jam.”
Berube added Minten has a “bright future.” He and Pontus Holmberg will play centre on Wednesday.
Minten said this opportunity feels much different than when he made the team out of camp last year. The adjustment was not smooth before he was back in junior. He had four points in five games with the Marlies after a long recovery from this September’s ankle sprain.
“It’s nice to see some familiar (Marlies) faces,” Minten said. “They’re putting some trust in the depth we have here and it’s up to us to go out there and make the most of it.”
There will be one change for the match on defence, Jani Hakanpaa will be given the night off after playing his first two games of the season with his new team, replaced by Simon Benoit. Joseph Woll, who has been playing second fiddle to Anthony Stolarz, gets the start.
Down the hall, ex-Leaf Samsonov, had been hoping to play. But coming off an injury, coach Bruce Cassidy didn’t want to push him after a 5-2 loss to Washington on Monday and is going with Adin Hill.
The Knights are missing some players, too, and called up Cal Burke and Mason Morelli for the game.
“Mitch Marner is always a threat and, in my days in Boston, Nylander was a Bruins killer,” Cassidy noted. “We know John Tavares is having a great offensive year. They still have lots of scoring threats. We don’t play them a lot, but (under Berube) they’re tighter in front of their net.
“Probably a different animal than I’m used to seeing.”
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