Berube sets the tone with bevy of battle drills in first Leafs practice

The Toronto Maple Leafs practised in three groups at the Ford Performance Centre on Thursday. 

Craig Berube is installing an aggressive north-south system at training camp. The new Leafs head coach is also establishing an identity. 

"I want our team to have an identity about competing, playing hard, working, and winning 1-on-1 battles," Berube said. 

And that's why Thursday's practices, his first on-ice sessions as head coach, featured plenty of battle drills. 

"That was up and down the sheet battles," said veteran winger Ryan Reaves. "In the corners, 1-on-1s, 2-on-2s, but still full-ice drills. The first day of leaning on guys is always hard, but when you throw it into a full practice like that it's tough."

How tough? 

"Today was in my top two and it probably wasn't two," said Reaves, who is entering his 15th NHL season. "It was good day, though. It sends a message to the team right away of what our identity is going to be and I think guys enjoyed that battle."

Berube was constantly checking a stopwatch to make sure the team stayed on schedule during the high-paced workout. 

"I was really impressed," the 58-year-old said. "It was a tough practice, but I didn't find the pace dropped off that much from start to end, which is very important."

Players were hunched over their sticks throughout the workout. 

"He's setting the tone right there from Day 1," noted winger Max Pacioretty, who is at camp on a professional tryout. "This is a team that wants to come out of the gates and show they have a whole new compete level."

In recent years, the Leafs racked up wins in the regular season, but also suffered some baffling losses to cellar-dwelling opponents. That's one reason why Toronto has never really challenged for an Atlantic Division title. The Leafs did win the all-Canadian division during the COVID-shortened campaign in 2021 before suffering a stunning playoff collapse against the Montreal Canadiens. 

The Leafs only have one series win in eight seasons since Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner arrived on the scene. 

Consistency is key for the new bench boss as he aims to reverse this trend. 

"We want to be a team that when other teams play us [they think], 'Well, the Toronto Maple Leafs, we're going to get this from them tonight,' no matter whether it's at home or on the road," Berube said.

The Leafs were much better on the road (.659 points percentage) than at home (.585) last season. 

In the playoffs, the usually high-scoring Leafs have struggled to breakthrough offensively in this era. In fact, Toronto has been held to two or fewer goals in 13 of its last 14 playoff games. Former coach Sheldon Keefe lamented their inability to get to the dirty areas during some of the playoff losses. At other times, the Leafs seemed to let the moment get to them. 

The first day of camp was designed to make the players uncomfortable right off the bat. 

"It's just learning that you are going to be uncomfortable a lot of times in games," Berube said. "You have to work and compete under those circumstances. I am very happy with the first day overall. The guys really worked."

"I love being in the corners and grinding," Reaves said. "I think it's going to drag some of those skills guys into that kind of game. Maybe get them a little uncomfortable right away."

When Keefe was hired as Leafs coach in 2019, it was his first NHL job. Berube, meanwhile, arrives with a Stanley Cup championship under his belt. 

"His presence and his resume speaks for itself," said Matthews, who is entering his first season as captain. "I think it will be a good change for us."  

"He expects a lot," said Reaves. "He expects intensity. He expects detail ... it's going to be a very direct, gritty team this year." 

Berube acknowledged that this Leafs team features higher-end talent than his St. Louis Blues side that went on a magical run in 2019. 

"I'm not here to take the sticks out of these guys hands," he said, "but there's gotta be an identity in how we want to play."

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For the second straight year, William Nylander is starting training camp as a centre. 

"I'm excited," the 28-year-old said after skating between Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok on Thursday. "I told [Berube] that the most important thing is I can't just play one game if you want to try centre. We agree on that and give it a go and hopefully it goes well."

Nylander only played two preseason games at centre before shifting back to the wing last year. Why didn't the experiment last longer? 

"I don't know," Nylander said with a smile. "You'll have to ask my old coach about that."

Last year, Keefe explained that the emergence of rookie Fraser Minten as a third-line centre option is what led him to move Nylander back to the wing. But even after Minten was sent back to the Western Hockey League following a four-game audition, Nylander remained on the flank. 

Throughout his tenure, Keefe prodded Nylander to be more responsible defensively. He also helped the smooth-skating Swede become one of the top wingers in the league. Nylander produced a career-high 98 points last season while earning an eight-year contract extension.  

The ability of Nylander to transport the puck up and down the ice is what makes him a compelling candidate to play centre. There's also the fact that the Leafs aren't exactly deep at the position, especially now that Minten is sidelined with a high-ankle sprain. 

How much time does Berube need in order to see if Nylander is a good fit at the defensively-demanding centre spot? 

"That is a good question," he said. "You have to give him some opportunity and time. We have to see an exhibition [season] and play a few games. We will see what he looks like, how he is feeling, and if he is comfortable. Those are conversations I will have with him. Also, we will be watching him and seeing how it looks."

Nylander was drafted as a centre and played the position in the American Hockey League, but he's never got a consistent run at the spot in the NHL. 

Nylander believes playing in the middle will help accentuate his playmaking ability and also offer a chance to make more creative plays. 

"The option to go right or left versus being on the wing [where] you only got one option to go," he said. "It gives you a little bit more space and options." 

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After requesting a trade at the start of the off-season, Nick Robertson eventually signed a one-year deal with the Leafs earlier this month.

"I'm not going to deep dive into that," the 23-year-old winger said. "I signed in Toronto. I'm happy to be in Toronto. Being back here a week ago, it's good to see everyone. I'm happy to be back."

Robertson was sent to the minors a couple times last season. When he was with the Leafs, he was also a healthy scratch at times including in Game 7 of the playoff series against the Boston Bruins. The lack of a consistent opportunity in Toronto is what fuelled his frustration. 

So, what opportunity does he see now? 

"I guess that's up to Craig to answer," Robertson said with a sigh. "For me, I know I got to come in and work hard and build on last year."

Berube reached out to Robertson during the summer. 

"I didn't focus on the contract stuff," Berube revealed. "It has nothing to do with me. I just said, 'I'd love you to come to camp. I hope you're here. With your ability, speed, and youth, it would be a good addition to our team,' as he was last year. I don't get too in-depth with the other stuff about negotiations. It is not for me."

Robertson skated alongside John Tavares and Bobby McMann on Thursday, which could be the third line when the season opens. Robertson, a lefty, is lining up on the right where he spent a lot of time last season.  

"I'm a natural left winger, but if coach wants me at right wing, whatever it is, I'm more than happy to play it," he said. "If you're breaking out on your off side you're maybe more vulnerable [because] on your left side it's easy to open up. But coming into the zone I like it [with] getting out for a one-timer ... I like that puck on that side. As this camp goes on you get more familiar with it and get back to being comfortable. I look forward to that." 

Despite averaging just 11 minutes and 23 seconds of ice time, Robertson scored 14 goals in 56 games last season with the Leafs. It was his first full, healthy season as a professional. 

"Being healthy and being confident and relaxed had a huge part of that," he said. "I think I proved I could produce and play confidently and I'll continue with that and build on that in camp."

Robertson, who is the shortest player at Leafs camp at 5-foot-9, spent the summer training at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan alongside older brother Jason Robertson and other NHLers. 

"I had a great summer," he said. "It was the best summer of my career. I'm not coming off an injury, thankfully, and my conditioning feels good, my body feels good. I'm looking forward to this camp."

Robertson even got to enjoy a vacation in Aruba. 

"First healthy summer where I could actually go somewhere and enjoy it," he said with a big smile. "I could actually go on a vacation and not worry about rehabbing."

Now that he's no longer waiver-exempt, Robertson seems like a good bet to start the season in the NHL for the first time in his career. 

"He is a great kid," said Berube. "Hard worker. He has a great personality and energy. I thought he had a great day on the ice. He has some elite speed and shot." 

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After a couple injury-plagued seasons, Pacioretty is energized by the chance to crack the Leafs roster. 

"I haven't talked in front of this many cameras in four years," the former Montreal Canadiens captain said with a smile. "I've always kind of thrived under the spotlight and the pressure and every day it pushes you to prepare to be the best you can be … I loved my time in Montreal and that's a big reason why I feel like I can play in this market." 

After he tore his right Achilles twice in less than a year, it looked like Pacioretty's playing days may be done. But he was finally able to return to action in January with the Washington Capitals. Understandably he didn't feel like himself and finished with four goals and 19 assists in 47 regular season games. He added one assist in four playoff games. 

Pacioretty used the summer to re-evaluate if his body was still up to the rigours of NHL life.  

"I wanted to see physically where I was at," the 35-year-old said. "I owed it to myself to see if I could get up to a level where I ... was before the injury. It wasn't perfect when I first started training. I realized how, I guess, de-conditioned my body really was through the two-plus years of being injured and being on a couch."

It wasn't looking good in May and June. 

"There was times I really questioned a lot," the Connecticut native said. "I definitely wasn't in a good place early on in the summer. My family made tremendous sacrifices, traveled around the world, and I tried to see the best people I can to try and push this to the absolute brink. I feel like I'm in a good place now." 

Pacioretty declined to say where his travels took him, but the father of five made it clear it hasn't been an easy road. 

"[There were] sacrifices made by my wife and family so I owe it to them to see if I can get to where I was before the injuries," he said. "The good news I feel like I'm there and I can't wait to prove it."

When healthy, Pacioretty is a proven goal scorer in the NHL. He has hit the 30-goal mark on six occasions. 

"Pacioretty has been an elite scorer in this league for a long time," said Berube. "He has been injured for the last couple of years. He is feeling healthy. He is a big, strong guy who can score and hang onto pucks."

Pacioretty potted 19 goals in 39 goals with the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2021-22 season despite being hampered by a broken wrist and foot. 

Beyond some scoring punch, Pacioretty feels he can be a positive presence in the dressing room. 

"It's no secret that they've had a lot of success with their top guy, but need to get over the hump," Pacioretty said. "I'm looking to push everybody just as much as they're looking to push me."

Pacioretty has produced 50 points in 78 career playoff games. 

Pacioretty will continue to wear No. 67 even though it's a number that other fan bases have used to jeer the Leafs, who haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1967. 

"Hopefully it's good luck," Pacioretty said with a smile. "I hope to bring the good luck with that number."

The number doesn't hold any special significance to Pacioretty. 

"It's just what they gave me in training camp [with Montreal] and back then you didn't have much of a say," he recalled. "Every number seemed to be retired or taken. At one point in my career maybe I thought about switching, but my dad didn't let me make that happen. He said that's my number now and I got to stick with it."

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Defenceman Simon Benoit missed practice to be with his partner, who gave birth to the couple's first child. 

Defenceman Jani Hakanpää did not take part in practice. He has not played since suffering a knee injury in March. 

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Leafs practice lines on Thursday: 

GROUP 1

Knies - Matthews - Marner 
McMann - Tavares - Robertson
Cowan - Quillan - A.Nylander
Steeves - Pare - Clifford 

Rielly - Tanev
Chadwick - Timmins
Rifai - Villeneuve 
Mermis - Myers

Woll
Murray

GROUP 2

Domi - Nylander - Jarnkrok
Pacioretty - Holmberg - Grebenkin
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves
Hirvonen - Shaw - Abruzzese 
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe

Webber - Liljegren  
Kokkonen - Niemela
Pietroniro - Mattinen

Stolarz
Hildeby