Robertson looks to keep rolling as Leafs bring young team to Montreal

The Maple Leafs held an optional morning skate (game group) and practice (non-playing group) at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday. 

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After an attempt to help William Nylander went awry early in Thursday's game against the Montreal Canadiens, Nick Robertson regrouped and put forward his best performance of the pre-season. 

"I just said I had to play good so people don't think about that," the Maple Leafs winger said with a smile. "It's good to see Willy's doing okay. It was just kind of a fluke thing."

Robertson offered the back-checking Nylander a push from behind with his stick in the first period of Thursday's game, but the Swede wasn't expecting it and lost his balance. Nylander fell and slid headfirst into the leg of Christian Dvorak before leaving the game for precautionary reasons. Nylander was back at practice on Friday and Saturday. 

In the second period of Thursday's game, Robertson made a nice play to score the game-winning goal.  

"It's always good to score," said Robertson, who potted 14 goals in 56 games last season. "Whether it goes off your skate, whatever it is, it's the same feeling. You're excited to score. Any time you put the puck in the net or play a good game, you always feel good. I'm trying to build off that."

Robertson will be among a handful of players with NHL experience in Toronto's lineup on Saturday night.

"When you got a younger group like this and you got a player that's played in the NHL and he's coming off a good, solid hockey game, he needs another one," said coach Craig Berube. "We need another one. We need him to lead tonight by example."

Robertson will be suiting up in his third straight pre-season game. 

There is an intense battle for jobs up front right now, especially on the wing. Robertson, who is the shortest player at camp at 5-foot-9, likely needs to earn a top-nine role to stick with the Leafs this year. The 23-year-old has never started a season in the NHL but, unlike previous years, now requires waivers to be sent to the American Hockey League. 

After requesting a trade in the off-season, Robertson signed a one-year deal with the Leafs earlier this month. 

"I just want to go out there and play and not have any noise around me like that," he said. "I'm excited about it. It's good to see everyone. It's good to put that in the past and to look forward."

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Robertson likes that the Leafs have another Peterborough Petes alumnus at camp in Steven Lorentz. In fact, Robertson wore the same number as Lorentz, 16, when he played for the Petes. 

"We kind of bonded on that right away when he introduced himself to me," Lorentz said. "We just got talking about that a little bit. He's a great guy, easy to talk to, and it's nice that we can share stories about the good old days in junior."

The Leafs iced a line full of London Knights in Thursday's pre-season game with Max Domi skating between Mitch Marner and top prospect Easton Cowan. Needless to say, there's a lot of chatter about the Ontario Hockey League inside the dressing room. 

"There's a good amount, especially the London guys," said Robertson with a grin. "They like to chat about it. But us Peterborough guys like to just lay low."

Lorentz is at camp on a professional tryout, but appears to have the inside track for a job on the fourth line.

"There's a few too many Knights if you ask me," Lorentz said of his new surroundings. "I think we could use a few more Petes around here. London, Peterborough, there's a rivalry there going way, way back. Whether you're getting a guy from London or Peterborough, you're getting a good person, good player, because those are both first-class organizations in that league. I obviously tend to favour the Peterborough guys (smile), a little more blue collar in my eyes."

Lorentz certainly plays a blue-collar game. He slotted in beside Ryan Reaves and David Kampf in his pre-season debut with the Leafs on Thursday. 

"I love playing with him," said Reaves. "It was a very direct game. He was in the right spots. Plays very simple like I like to play. I thought we were on the forecheck really well. We were in their zone for most of the game. I really enjoyed playing with him."

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It may be a pre-season game, but Simon Benoit is relishing the chance to play at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. 

"I grew up watching Montreal, so for me playing against them, it's always a fun day," the Laval, Que. native said. "I know I'm going to have family and friends looking, so I'm looking forward to it."

Last year at this time, Benoit was struggling to make an impression at his first training camp with the Leafs. The defenceman missed the first few practices due to back spasms and then took three minor penalties in his first pre-season game. Benoit started the year in the minors before getting called up and quickly earning a regular role and eventually a three-year contract extension. 

In his first pre-season game this year, Benoit wore an 'A' in Ottawa on Tuesday night. He has a fan in the new bench boss. 

"He's a physical presence," said Berube. "Good size [6-foot-4, 205 pounds], moves well. I mean, he's raw, right? He gives you that raw effort every game, every shift in practice, which is nice. You know, he's got great intensity and he's got a good stick, which is nice to see."

Benoit's game is all about hits and he hasn't hesitated to lay the body in training camp. 

"I went up against him a couple days ago," Reaves noted. "He must have bodied me at least 20 times. He was wearing me out."

Perhaps Benoit is benefitting from dad strength. He and his girlfriend welcomes their first child right at the start of training camp.

"My girlfriend's good with it, so she lets me sleep at night," said Benoit, who noted he got a full eight hours on Friday night. "So, yeah, I'm prepared for the games."

But there's one unresolved issue. They haven't settled on a name for their daughter. 

"We're working on it," the 26-year-old said with a smile. "I [held] a vote for the boys in the room. They tried to help me, but it's coming."

Benoit didn't want to share some of the suggestions, but Reaves was happy to volunteer his idea.

"I suggested 'Cashew' because he calls his [girlfriend] 'Peanut,'" Reaves revealed. "That was my vote."

Morgan Rielly also became a first-time father during the summer. What was his process like when it came to coming up with a name? 

"It was easier than whatever he's going through," the longest-serving Leaf said with a chuckle. "Everyone's giving their opinion. I think he's got a couple more weeks until he's got to make a decision."

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Centre John Tavares (lower-body) missed a second straight practice. 

Winger Bobby McMann was also absent from Saturday's session. 

"Maintenance more than anything," said Berube. "He's one of those guys that's a little sore and banged up a little from camp, but he's fine."

Veteran winger Calle Jarnkrok, who is working his way back from a lower-body injury, took part in half of Saturday's practice. 

"He was out there with us for a while today, which is good to see," said Berube. "He looked like he was okay. I still got to get an update on him, so I don't know how it went."

Jarnkrok hasn't played since the opening pre-season game. 

Defenceman Jani Hakanpää, who is coming off a knee injury, still hasn't joined Leafs practice. 

"He's done really well," Berube stressed. "I mean, you know, there was a process when he got here. I think the process has been going well, and hopefully we got him in our group to start here this week [coming up]."

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Lines in Saturday's practice for the non-playing group: 

Blandisi - Matthews - Marner 
Pacioretty - Nylander - Domi 
Barbolini - Kampf - Reaves 
Mastrosimone - Stevens - Kressler 

Rielly - Tanev 
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe 
Webber - Liljegren 
Pietroniro - Miller

Woll 
Stolarz