Leafs find some traction as Keefe pushes right buttons
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The Maple Leafs and New York Islanders skated at Scotiabank Arena on Monday.
Early in Saturday's game, Sheldon Keefe decided to change up his top six.
The Leafs were in good shape on the scoreboard, but the coach didn't like how things were trending against the Buffalo Sabres. So, he moved Mitch Marner to the Auston Matthews line and shifted William Nylander down to the John Tavares line.
"I just felt that we were losing the matchup and it wasn't one I wanted to get away from in terms of Auston versus [Tage] Thompson," Keefe explained. "For William, the challenge is always to stay engaged defensively, no matter who he's playing. But when I use Auston in some difficult matchups, the attention to detail has to be that much greater for everybody."
The right-wing rotation proved to be the right move. Matthews and Marner kept Buffalo's big boys off the board while Nylander exploited an easier matchup to score an important insurance goal.
"There's a lot of adjustments that happen throughout the game and I thought we made some really good ones on Saturday," Matthews said.
Keefe is going back to Matthews with Nylander and Tavares with Marner to start Monday's game against the New York Islanders.
Buffalo's top three goal scorers in 5-on-5 play are on their top line with Thompson between Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch. Meanwhile, Islanders top-line centre Mathew Barzal scored for the first time this season on Saturday.
"Today is a different challenge, so our focus is on that and want to reset things a little bit," Keefe said.
Keefe, who coached his first game behind the Leafs bench three years ago today, has been pushing the right buttons since the team returned from a winless road trip through Las Vegas, San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim in late October. Toronto is 6-1-2 in November.
"We're starting to get the point where we got some real traction with our group in terms of how we need to play to have success," Keefe said. "Now, we think there's another level to get to offensively for sure, but there's a lot of things defensively that we've done ... we've just insulated our team very well defensively and that's given us a chance for success."
Even though some guys aren't producing as expected, Keefe continues to stress to his players that the team is still in a really good spot. Toronto sits second in the Atlantic Division and 10th overall in points percentage.
"At the same time that he was being hard [on us], he was being calm," Nylander noted.
"There's a lot of trust between him and the coaching staff and the group here," said Tavares.
"Each season is its own beast," Keefe said. "We have a number of changes from our team last season, and it's taken a little bit of time and we're still not where I think we can be, but it's certainly starting to look a lot more like we're capable of."
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Even-strength offence continues to be an unexpected issue for the highly skilled Leafs, who are tied for 23rd in 5-on-5 goals. And yet sharpshooting winger Nick Robertson can't crack the lineup. The 21-year-old will sit a fourth straight game on Monday.
Like on Saturday, Keefe was again asked if there are any concerns about Robertson's development.
"A couple things," the coach said. "First of all, I'm not going to answer this question every single day. It's getting redundant. But what I would say is, there's a lot of benefits of being in the NHL for a young player."
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Despite scoring two goals on Saturday, Nylander showed some self-awareness after the win over Buffalo.
"I didn't think today was maybe my best game," he said.
What was missing?
"Getting those second opportunities and staying on the puck was a little bit lacking, but it is what it is," the 26-year-old said.
Nylander is tied for the team lead with 10 goals.
"I've been skating well," he said. "I've been able to create a lot playing with Matty or John. I think we've been dialled."
Nylander has hit the scoresheet in all but three games. He's only been held without a shot once. Is he happy with his consistency?
"It's only 19 games in so got to keep it going through 82," he said with a smile.
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Tavares will be facing the Islanders for the ninth time.
"It's definitely a game he circles on his calendar," said Matthews. "I know it means a lot to him and it means a lot to everybody in this room, because you want to go out there and play well for him."
Tavares agreed that this matchup still brings some extra emotion.
"Always good to see familiar faces," the 32-year-old said. "Obviously, a place that means a lot to me."
"It probably means something to him," Nylander said before breaking into a smile. "We'll see on the board tonight."
There's more than one reason for Tavares to put money on the board on Monday night. It is also his 300th regular season game as a Leaf.
"It's year five, so when you think about it that way, it does feel like time has flown a little bit," Tavares said. "Yeah, it's crazy to think that that much time has passed. I try not to think about it a lot. You're the one making me aware of it, but, yeah, it's crazy to think it's been that much time."
Tavares has two goals and two assists against the Islanders.
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After playing three times last week, Matt Murray will get a rest on Monday.
"Today would've been four games in six days for him," Keefe said. "That's a lot to ask for any goalie, never mind a guy coming off of injury reserve whose season is essentially just beginning."
Erik Kallgren will start against the Islanders.
"The team's played well when he's been in there, so no hesitancy that way," Keefe added.
Ilya Samsonov is not expected to be available to play this week as he continues to rehab a knee injury. He will, however, accompany the team on the upcoming road trip so he can continue to work with goalie coach Curtis Sanford.
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When Samsonov joined Murray on the injured list earlier this month, Keith Petruzzelli signed an entry-level deal with the Leafs and dressed as the backup goalie in four games.
"It was just an honour to be there," he said. "It was great to practice with the best and be around the best every day. You just take that all in and really enjoy the moment."
Any moment that popped?
"Auston Matthews went through the legs, backbar on me and [they] put it right on the Instagram so that one sticks out," the 23-year-old said with a laugh.
Petruzzelli is now back in the American Hockey League but says the time with the big team "absolutely" makes him hungrier to get back. He has won seven of his nine games with the Marlies.
"Just my footwork," the 6-foot-5 keeper said when asked what's working well. "It's really come a long way. I'm getting faster, I like to think, so just keep working on that. I read the game really well and I'm able to react well situationally."
"He's just steady," said Marlies coach Greg Moore. "He's a quiet person and it shows in net. He's very quiet and calm and a lot of times when you have a goalie back there who just stops the puck, gives that calm feeling, it gives a lot of confidence to the players in front of him."
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With 10 goals in 14 games this season Adam Gaudette is tied with Joey Anderson for the Marlies lead in that department.
"My mindset was to come down and have fun, help this team win and produce for these guys," he said. "Work on the little things defensively and move my feet with the puck. We're doing development ice twice a week and started that in the summer and I think my game has elevated from just working with the staff in this organization. It's been unbelievable. It's nice to have an organization that really believes in you and gives you every opportunity to succeed."
"We've talked about him finding his game and finding his confidence," Moore said. "He's a great player, especially at this level."
After lining up as a left winger to start the season, Gaudette got a look in the middle over the weekend.
"I really like how I'm being trusted and being used in all situations," he said.
"He has plenty of experience there even in the NHL," Moore highlighted. "It's important for all our guys to get time in different spots to prove themselves for call-ups."
The biggest adjustment?
"Defensively, for sure," the 26-year-old said. "Just figuring out where your guy is in the D-zone. It's obviously different from wing. I think that's where I struggled a little bit out there [Saturday] was picking up the right guy in the D-zone and sorting it out with the D. It's a different game out there playing wing and centre. You have the opportunity to have more speed coming up through the middle and collecting the puck whereas a winger you can be a little more offensive and get behind the D a little more. I'm happy with the coach's decision to put me in both just to show the versatility I have."
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After Saturday's game, Murray passed Toronto's player-of-the-game belt to shutdown centre David Kampf.
"He made a heck of a play in the first on that penalty kill, like, a spin-o-rama, one-handed chip past their d-man and we ended up scoring Gio's goal there, so I thought that was a big moment for us," Murray said. "He's as solid as they come. He plays well defensively. He's a good leader. Does a great job of the penalty kill. He's always in the right spot. He's definitely an unsung hero here so wanted to show him some love."
Kampf is now on pace for 35 points, which would be nine more than last year's career high.
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Defenceman T.J. Brodie, who is sidelined with an oblique injury, will not come on the road trip, which starts Tuesday and includes stops in New Jersey, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Detroit.
"Brodie is not progressing as quickly as they'd like and he won't travel with us," Keefe said.
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Lines at Monday's Leafs skate:
Bunting - Matthews - Nylander
Kerfoot - Tavares - Marner
Engvall - Holmberg - Jarnkrok
Aston-Reese - Kampf - Malgin
Simmonds, Robertson
Rielly - Benn
Giordano - Holl
Sandin - Liljegren
Kallgren starts
Murray