Leafs' shutdown duo of Tanev, McCabe relish challenge against McDavid
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The Maple Leafs (optional) and Edmonton Oilers skated at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.
The Leafs will lean on the defensive pair of Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe on Saturday night as they look to slow down Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
"Something I relish and look forward to, to shut down opposing teams best players," McCabe said. "It's no different tonight. It just happens to be 97, so just another day at the job with a little bit more challenge, obviously, than some other players."
That may be an understatement. McDavid arrives in his hometown having racked up nine points during a three-game Oilers winning streak.
"Obviously got to be aware of him generating speed through the neutral zone and base your gap off that a little bit," McCabe said. "It takes a collective five-man, group effort out there to slow him down and [got to] stay out of the box."
"Try to get above him," Tanev said of the game plan. "Manage the puck. You don't want to give them odd-man rushes, especially sort of three-quarters ice. At their bluelines, they're a really good transition team, and that's where they can catch you."
Tanev and McCabe have played together on the penalty kill all season. They have formed an effective shutdown pair at even strength since being put together midway through a game on Oct. 24.
"They have good chemistry together and defend well with physicality and sticks and blocking shots," praised coach Craig Berube. "And they break pucks out under pressure. You know, that's one thing I really noticed with them is they're good at absorbing hits and using each other on breakouts and making little plays to get the puck out of our zone. Teams are coming hard on forecheck, but they do a good job of getting a puck stopped there and finding a way to get it out."
With Tanev and McCabe on the ice in 5-on-5 play, the Leafs have outscored the opposition 4-2 in the last 10 games.
Tanev, who is second in the NHL in blocked shots, was Toronto's big off-season addition. He faced a steady diet of McDavid during last year's Western Conference final when he was with the Dallas Stars.
"Just a warrior," said Oilers winger Zach Hyman. "No matter what night it is he's blocking shots ... He's always in the right position, always has a great stick, breaks the puck out great. Just a really, really good player."
Tanev trains alongside Hyman, McDavid and other Oilers during the summer as part of the group overseen by Gary Roberts.
"Their back end has been great," McDavid said. "Obviously, Tanny helps a lot. He's so solid."
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McDavid hit the 1,000-point milestone on Thursday night during an overtime win against the Nashville Predators.
"It was a very emotional game for obviously Connor, but the team," said Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch. "You could see the support from his teammates and how happy they were for him to reach that milestone."
It's been business as usual ever since for the Oilers captain.
"It's been just trying to get to Toronto," McDavid said with a shrug. "That was it. It was a quick turnaround. We were on the plane early trying to beat all the Taylor Swift traffic."
Mission accomplished on that front.
"We managed to do it," McDavid said with a small smile. "It's cool to see the city so excited."
The third of six Swift concerts in Toronto will go on Saturday night and, yes, McDavid is a fan.
"She's got some great songs, yeah," the 27-year-old from Newmarket, Ont. confirmed.
McDavid didn't give away much during a four-and-a-half-minute session with reporters.
"Connor's always wanting to be the best and always ready to play 100 per cent," Knoblauch explained. "Our start hasn't been what we wanted and there's been a lot of urgency, or a lot of guys who want to turn things around and play the right way and start getting on a little win streak."
Edmonton started the season with just two wins through seven games (2-4-1). They are 7-3-0 since then, but enter Saturday's slate of games barely inside the playoff cut line.
The Stanley Cup finalists from a year ago are far from satisfied.
"It's been looking better," McDavid said. "Carrying a little bit more of the play, you know, so that's all been good. Lots of room to grow."
"They play a very fast game," Berube noted. "They're very good off the rush, obviously, with McDavid and [Leon] Draisaitl. And their D are very active up the ice. So we've got to do a good job, starting in the offensive zone, of not getting beat up the ice and trying to stay tight to these guys and take away their speed. And obviously their power play is starting to get going and they're dangerous on it. We all know that. So discipline is going to be important and our penalty kill."
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After missing Friday's practice, Max Domi returned to the ice for Toronto's optional skate. Berube confirmed that Domi will suit up against the Oilers despite dealing with an undisclosed injury.
With Auston Matthews sidelined by an undisclosed upper-body issue, the Leafs have asked Domi to fill in as a top-six centre. It's been a struggle at times as Domi is mired in a 12-game point drought, which is the longest dry spell of his career.
"It's the way it is right now," Berube said.
Domi logged a season high 20 minutes and 58 seconds during Wednesday's overtime win in Washington.
Berube is trying to move some of Domi's minutes to David Kampf, who moved up to the third-line centre spot on Wednesday.
"We're taking a little bit off his plate that way," said Berube. "So it's just about me managing his [minutes], how he's looking and what's going on with his ice time, and things like that. Giving him maintenance days as much as we can, keep him going here. It's been a lot for him."
Domi also missed Monday's practice. He was not available to the media after Saturday's skate.
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Jani Hakanpää played 15 minutes and 36 seconds in his Leafs debut on Wednesday night.
"It was unreal," the 6-foot-7 defenceman said. "It was such a great feeling. It's been a long time coming and a lot of hard work, a lot of hours put into that to be there. So, it was special."
It was Hakanpää's first NHL game since being sidelined by a knee injury in March while playing for the Stars.
"It actually felt better than I probably thought it would," the 32-year-old Finn said. "So that's always good."
Hakanpää, a righty, slotted in beside Morgan Rielly.
"It was really nice, really nice," he said. "It was easy. He made my life easy out there."
Hakanpää's return allowed the Leafs to create a balanced look on the back end. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a lefty, had been paired with Rielly. He's now lining up beside Conor Timmins.
"I like the righty-lefty combination in all three pairs," Berube said. "You kind of got a puck mover in each pair."
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Nick Robertson will draw back into the lineup on Saturday, Berube confirmed. Alex Steeves is the odd man out up front.
Anthony Stolarz starts for the Leafs while Stuart Skinner gets the call for the Oilers.
Viktor Arvidsson is not ready to return to the lineup so the Oilers will once again dress 11 forwards and seven defencemen on Saturday night.
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Projected Leafs lineup for Saturday's game:
McMann - Tavares - Marner
Knies - Domi - Nylander
Robertson - Kampf - Holmberg
Dewar - Lorentz - Revaes
McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Hakanpää
Ekman-Larsson - Timmins
Stolarz starts
Woll
Lines at Oilers skate on Saturday:
Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Janmark - Henrique - Brown
Skinner - Ryan - Perry
Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Dermott
Kulak - Emberson
Stecher
Skinner
Pickard