Maple Leafs forced to face Bedard without McCabe

The Maple Leafs skated at Scotiabank Arena on Monday.

Jake McCabe will miss Monday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"Jake is day-to-day, but I think he'll be fine," said Leafs coach Craig Berube. "Just a little precautionary tonight, but he should be good."

The 31-year-old defenceman left Saturday's game in Tampa after taking a shot by Lightning defenceman Nick Perbix to the side of the head. After the game, Berube said he didn't anticipate McCabe would miss any time.

"Just the circumstances of it all, I think it's the best thing to do for the player," Berube explained. "You got to be careful."

McCabe leads the Leafs defence in ice time (21:20 TOI/G), hits (52) and plus-minus (11). He routinely gets matched against the other team's top line.

"Extremely competitive, great leader for us, so not easy shoes to fill," said centre John Tavares. "But great opportunity for other guys."

Oliver Ekman-Larsson will take McCabe's spot beside Chris Tanev.

"Put two guys together that we can use as a shutdown pair," Berube said. "That's what we're thinking in terms of that. Ekman-Larsson [has a] great stick, skates well, big and plays physical."

Ekman-Larsson, a lefty, had been playing on the right on a pairing with Morgan Rielly. This switch gets the 6-foot-2 Swede back on his strong side.

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Philippe Myers, who has played just one game this season with the Leafs, will slot in beside Rielly.

"This obviously means a lot to me," the 27-year-old said. "I've been patient and trying to be a good teammate and hyping up the boys. They've been playing really well, and it's been fun to watch, but I'm excited to get in here."

Myers recently played three games with the Toronto Marlies on an American Hockey League conditioning loan, which wrapped up on Nov. 20. He last suited up for the Leafs on Oct. 26 in Boston.

"It's not easy," he said of waiting for another chance. "But I've experienced it a little bit over the years, and I think I have a good mindset for it this year. I'm obviously grateful to be here and I'm grateful to be around the guys. I'm super fired up to play."

While the Leafs have faced a series of injuries up front this season, this is the first time they will be without a key defenceman.

"It's a hole," Berube said. "But we've had holes when guys come in and fill them, and we need the same thing tonight. That's about all I have to say about that."

The Leafs recently went 7-2-0 without captain and top-line centre Auston Matthews in the lineup.

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Team Canada's roster for the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off will be revealed on Wednesday.

"Any kid growing up in Canada that's what you dream of is to be able to put the Canadian flag on your chest and represent your country," Tanev said. "That's something that I don't need to be worrying about. I'm just here to play hockey for the Leafs and build some relationships and bonds with my teammates here."

TSN analyst Mike Johnson and TSN director of scouting Craig Button think Tanev should be on Team Canada.

"I don't think there's a better shutdown Canadian defender in the National Hockey League than Chris Tanev," Button said.

Tanev has certainly made a compelling case with how he's started the season with the Leafs. He's second in the league in blocked shots. On Saturday, he scored his first goal with the team and added an assist in a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"Tanev should get more credit for all that he does," Tavares said. "Even offensively, just his decision-making, and when to get pucks to the net, when to put pucks in good spots, how to set up his forwards or the player he's giving the puck to in that next play. How he does all sorts of things like that. His stick, his defending, blocking shots, how strong he is without [the puck] in his own end is, you know, one of the best in the league, so he should be highly considered for Team Canada."

Tanev leads the Leafs in shorthanded ice time this season.

"He's a warrior," Myers said. "I think he's the best PKer in the league if you ask me. Whenever there's a one-time [shot] or anything, there's never a doubt he's in the shot lane. He's blocking those shots. You know, steady defensively. He moves well. I mean, not a bad thing to say about him. He's awesome. Great teammate."

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The Blackhawks are dead last in the overall standings with just 18 points in 24 games (8-14-2). Top-line centre Connor Bedard, the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, has scored just five goals and recently endured an 11-game drought.

"Everyone goes through it," said Tavares, the first overall pick in 2009. "It's a very difficult league. That's why it's the best in the world. It's hard to produce. It's hard to score ... Just part of everyone's evolution and learning curve."

Tavares chuckled when informed Bedard expressed frustration recently.

"Maybe he hasn't been happy with his production or whether the puck's going in or the net or not, but certainly we know how highly talented, how highly skilled he is," said Tavares. "It's going to be a tough challenge for us."

Bedard, 19, does seem to be heating up of late. The second-youngest player in the league arrives in Toronto on a three game point streak with two goals in that stretch.

"Elite shooter," said Berube. "Does a lot of little things with his shot. Push and pull stuff, and it gets through all the time. He's got an elite shot. And really good vision. He sees the ice very well and knows where people are and can make plays. He's going to be a good player. He is a good player and he's only going to get better."

Bedard scored a goal in his only game against Leafs starter Anthony Stolarz last season.

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Injured forwards Max Domi and Max Pacioretty skated with the Leafs on Monday morning.

"Domi's close," Berube said. "He skated well today. He's going to skate tomorrow. I think he'll push it more tomorrow, and then we'll see where he's at."

Domi, who had been bothered by a nagging lower-body issue, last played on Nov. 16.

Pacioretty hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury on Nov. 9.

"Pacioretty probably a little bit of ways away yet," Berube said. "But he's skating, which is good to see."

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The Leafs placed defenceman Jani Hakanpää on injured reserve on Monday. The 32-year-old Finn did not skate on Monday, but has not missed any practices since his last game on Nov. 16.

"Just managing the knee," Berube said. "So, that's all that is."

Hakanpää started the season on long-term injured reserve due to a knee injury, which ended his previous season in March. The right-shot blueliner got into three AHL games on a conditioning loan before getting into a pair of November games with the Leafs.

Defenceman Marshall Rifai has been recalled from the Marlies.

David Kampf skated before the team on Monday. The centre is also sidelined with a lower-body injury. He isn't eligible to be activated off LTIR until Dec. 14.

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Lines at Monday's skate:

F

Knies - Matthews - W. Nylander
Holmberg - Tavares - Marner
Robertson - Minten - Lorentz
Grebenkin - Dewar - A. Nylander
Reaves (suspended), Domi, Pacioretty

D

Ekman-Larsson - Tanev
Rielly - Myers
Benoit - Timmins
Rifai

G

Stolarz starts 
Woll