Morgan Rielly’s assist on Monday against Tampa Bay marked just the third time since Nov. 9 he’s managed points in consecutive games.
He’s at 22 in 48 total games, way off his pace in his best years, up in the 50-to-60 range. But those Leaf teams weren’t this close to holding first place in the Atlantic Division, a perch Toronto has never held through a full season in this competitive pod. So Rielly isn’t grading his progress just on goals and assists.
“I’m just trying to play in the (Craig Berube) structure,” he said after Tuesday’s practice. “There are more important things for the team. We’re in a good place, growing, learning, improving. I’m no different.”
Berube said Monday he was trying to take the “risk” out of Rielly’s game that has led to some defensive lapses. He’s tried Rielly with numerous partners, currently on the left side with Jake McCabe. The coach is confident the poised McCabe is ideal for Rielly at present and that Rielly’s production will rise as the Leafs get better activating their entire defence.
Rielly officially joined the top 10 Leafs in games played this week with his 839th appearance.
FINN NOT FINE ENOUGH
Big defenceman Jani Hakanpaa continues to work out regularly with the Leafs in his attempt strengthen a lingering knee injury. Berube thought he looked very steady on Tuesday.
“It’s a feel thing for him and where he’s at,” the coach said of a timetable to play him again. “I’m hoping he can keep practising with us and not have to take two days off again. We need to get some consistency in practice and get him going.”
It’s now more than two months since Hakanpaa appeared in his only two games, which came a month after the season began.
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REST IN PEACE
Dave Lucas, an Eastern Hockey League star, one-time teammate of future Leaf players and NHL coaches Al Arbour and Ed Johnston and one of the great NHL call-up stories, passed away last week at age 92.
From Downeyville, near Lindsay, the 6-foot defenceman had played with the Johnstown Jets against the Long Island Ducks on the afternoon of Feb. 24, 1963, when his parent team, the visiting Detroit Red Wings were down to three blueliners that night against the Rangers. Lucas made it, but not until the second period.
In what was his only NHL game after 1,000-plus in the minors, Lucas witnessed Gordie Howe initially credited with a hat trick for Detroit until the official scorer awarded all three to other Wings. Invited to a Wings’ training camp, coach Tommy Ivan handed the whistle to the veteran Lucas one day when burdened with office work and he ended up directing Hall of Famers Howe and Ted Lindsay.
A generation of fans of the Hamilton junior Red Wings will also remember 6-foot-3 defenceman Brian Gibbons, later a member of the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association, who also died last week at 77.
Born in Newfoundland before it became a province, Gibbons had returned there to play senior hockey and work in sales for Labatt Breweries.
AIRTIME FOR TODD
Veteran play-by-play man Todd Crocker had called Sunday afternoon’s win over the Manitoba Moose in Winnipeg, then hopped a plane home to fill in for Joe Bowen on the TSN radio broadcast for Leafs – Lightning.
It was Bowen’s first requested day off in 43 years, so he could join his sons watching their beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the college football title match against Ohio State.
Crocker received congratulatory texts during the game from Marlies such as winger Alex Steeves. Crocker knew a few Leafs from their farm days and after working alone in the booth in many antiquated AHL rinks, had the wide Foster Hewitt Media Gondola on Monday and could rest his voice while gabbing with Bowen’s regular analyst, Jim Ralph.
Crocker flew out again Tuesday to join the Marlies’ first ever California games in Bakersfield, San Jose and San Diego.
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LOOSE LEAFS
Heading into Wednesday’s home game against Columbus, Auston Matthews’ 64 game-opening goals (he added one Monday), are second most among all players since he entered the League in 2016-17, behind David Pastrnak’s 73 … Toronto’s record leading afer two periods is now 20-0-0 … Leafs are 4-0 on the NHL’s new Monday night on-line broadcasts, out-scoring opponents 19-9. As they say on Star Trek, fulfill the Prime Directive.
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