Keefe keeps Matthews, Marner apart despite Saturday spark
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TSN SportsCentre Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who practised at the Ford Performance Centre in Toronto on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers.
With the Leafs trailing on Saturday night, coach Sheldon Keefe reunited Mitch Marner with Auston Matthews and Michael Bunting in the third period. The move worked as that line, which was dominant last season, produced the tying goal in Boston.
"We're confident whenever we get on the ice together that we got quick chemistry," said Marner. "We can do a lot of plays out there. We can make stuff happen ... It felt good. We were really moving the puck well, creating a lot of chances and being smart with our puck placement as well. We had good looks through that third period."
Toronto's top line was effective in the final stanza despite going up against Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.
"Sometimes when you're apart a little bit and come back it can give you a new look and spark some energy," said Matthews. "The other night it ended up working out for us."
But at Monday's practice, Matthews and Bunting were back with William Nylander while Marner rejoined John Tavares and Calle Jarnkrok.
"We've had good rhythm with it that way," Keefe explained. "This look has been good for us and the players have done well within it so I don't think I need to overreact or make too many changes coming out of that game."
With the Leafs off to an uneven start, Matthews and Marner got split up on Nov. 12. Since then, Toronto is averaging 3.6 goals per game, which is sixth overall. The team averaged 2.8 goals per game prior to the change, which was 24th overall.
"At the time when we were consistently playing together our games were in different places," Matthews said. "So now, obviously, we've been a little bit better."
The Leafs have been rolling and Nylander has certainly looked up to the task of a top-line role.
"He's been working and competing much more consistently," observed Matthews. "He's elevated his game this year. When we've been playing really well as a team, he's been a guy who's leading the way."
Toronto is 19-6-4 since Matthews and Marner got split, which gives them the third best points percentage (.724) in the league over that time. However, the two teams that have been better are Atlantic Division rivals Boston (.821) and Tampa Bay (.741).
The Leafs have lost consecutive games in regulation for only the second time this season and Nylander is cooling off with just two assists in six games. If the results don't change soon, the Matthews-Marner mix can be the perfect tonic.
"It's really good for me to know that spark is there when I feel we need it and we can benefit from it," Keefe said.
"It's always just kind of going to be there," Matthews said. "We've spent a lot of time together so I think the chemistry comes back relatively quick."
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A non-COVID illness is working its way through Toronto's dressing room. Matthews missed Thursday's game in Detroit in part because he was sick. Pontus Holmberg and Bobby McMann missed Saturday's game. Rasmus Sandin missed Monday's practice.
"We try to be more conscious of course," said Keefe when asked if the team is taking precautionary measures. "We have gotten a lot better at that over the last few years (smile). That said, once it starts, it is hard to slow it down. It is that time of year. We will have to manage it as best we can. Unfortunately, we have some guys unable to be with our group. We will press on."
McMann, who made his NHL debut last week, returned to practice on Monday.
"Bobby has built some positive momentum here that got stalled a little bit with his illness," said Keefe. "It was nice to see him back. He is working his way back to full health. He was saying he is not quite where he would like to be right now, but we will see where he is at in the morning and make our lineup decisions from there."
McMann skated with David Kampf and Pierre Engvall on Monday.
"I just feel the size and speed that he has is a good fit," Keefe said. "Engvall has paired well with Kampf any time we have had him there and I think there are similar skill sets. There were a couple of times in practice that between No. 47 [Engvall] and No. 74 [McMann], it was throwing me off a little bit. It is nice to have another guy like that. We have liked what we have seen from him."
Holmberg was not well enough to hit the ice on Monday.
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Morgan Rielly has produced just one even-strength assist in nine games since returning from a knee injury.
"It takes a little bit of time," the defenceman said, "but we got a great staff here so there's no reason for there to be too much of a lag or anything like that. They do everything for us and you put the time in and come back and then do whatever you can to get back where you want to be."
"He is still trying to find his game," Keefe said. "Getting back into the rhythm, [it] hasn't quite been there on both sides of the puck. We want to continue to work with him on that and be patient at the same time."
Rielly was on the ice ahead of practice on Monday to do a solo session with skill development consultant Denver Manderson.
"They're good just to get some touches," Rielly said. "You're out there for practice and it's a high pace so you don't always get exactly what you're looking for from a personal standpoint. So, it's a good opportunity to get out there and get some touches and focus on some things that you as an individual need to work on and just get some reps at it."
Practice time has been scarce since Rielly returned on Dec. 29 in Arizona.
"You want to get some extra touches to feel good and get some confidence and work on some things that are directly related to your game," he said.
The usually sure-handed Rielly turned over the puck leading to Boston's first goal on Saturday night when he played with Conor Timmins. That pairing was on the ice for three goals against. Rielly played with Jordie Benn on Thursday in Detroit. The previous night he lined up beside Justin Holl. At Monday's practice, Rielly skated with Timothy Liljegren.
"You have to be ready for it," Rielly said of the revolving door on his right. "You have to be willing to adapt and play with other guys. We change lines all the time."
Liljegren had been playing with Sandin.
"If Sandin is going to be out, Lily loses his partner," said Keefe. "It is a little bit more natural for those guys to pair together. We were reluctant to split up [Mark] Giordano-Holl and Sandin-Liljegren pairings. We really like them. We thought it was important to have that stability in the Boston game."
Liljegren leads all Leafs blueliners with four points in seven games since the calendar flipped to 2023.
"I think Lily has done a really good job — no matter who he has been paired with — of just playing his game," said Keefe. "You can see him getting really comfortable in the league, with who he is, and how he needs to play. That should give Mo some confidence that way and allow him to start to settle into his game as well."
"He's moving well," Rielly noted of Liljegren. "He's just quicker on his feet. He's moving the puck well. He's confident and it's just about getting confident."
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Rielly's usual partner, T.J. Brodie, has been sidelined with a rib injury since Jan. 7.
"When it first happened and we had all the information, they told me they expected it to be about two weeks," said Keefe. "He is sort of trending that way. I think he might've gotten on the ice for a little bit today. I am not quite sure how that went. I haven't gotten an update on it. I think he has been progressing based on when I bumped into him, but he is not feeling ready yet to get back to full participation."
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Keefe refused to reveal his starting goalie for Tuesday's game against the Florida Panthers.
"You'll find out tomorrow," the coach said with a grin.
But after watching Matt Murray lose in Boston on Saturday, Ilya Samsonov sounded like he'd be in. He's certainly gearing up for a showdown with expert agitator Matthew Tkachuk.
"He is sneaky," Samsonov said. "It's really hard to play against him. He's like a mosquito for a goalie, for a defenceman. But he's a good player, a good leader for Florida. It will be interesting. I like to play these guys who are the best players in the league. It's so interesting."
This will be Tkachuk's first game against Toronto since joining the Atlantic Division.
"It's going to be interesting now having both the brothers in the division," Matthews said. "He's a competitor. He's a guy who plays hard every night. It doesn't matter who he's going up against, he's going to be living around the net and wreaking havoc. He brings a lot more to the table than just scoring goals and skill. He's a competitor out there as well."
Keefe was asked if Wayne Simmonds could be used to keep Tkachuk in check.
"With all respect to Wayne, I don't know if any player would have any sort of impact on Tkachuk and how he plays," said Keefe. "Players like him don't get thrown off based on that. They are who they are. They are ultimate competitors. It doesn't faze them. I know they go into games knowing they are not going to have to fight anyone like that, so they are just going to go in, do their thing, and be who they are. [There are] lots of other ways we have to be conscious of a player of that calibre, which is to make him defend, keep him away from our net, and not let him feel good about his game. That is more of my focus going into tomorrow."
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Simmonds dropped the gloves with fellow veteran winger Nick Foligno early in Saturday's game. The marathon tilt energized the Leafs.
"That was a big moment for us," Matthews said. "I thought it kind of got our bench awake a little bit and turned the tide as well."
Simmonds and Foligno tapped each other after the bout.
"We both were smiling ear to ear," Simmonds said. "That's a guy I have tremendous respect for. He's been in this league a long time and a very tough player. He's a very honest player at the same time. I just tried to get the juices going."
Things weren't as cordial at the end of the second period when players on both teams met at centre ice following the buzzer.
"They got a little mad at Bunts and they all just surrounded him," Simmonds said. "They all just kind of jumped off the bench and attacked him so I went in to defend my guy."
Simmonds and A.J Greer received misconducts.
"If you're going to come after Bergy like that you got to respond," Greer told reporters. "I was just going to tell [Bunting], 'Hey, like, if you're going to do that you have to pick your head up.' I got to the penalty box and I told Simmonds, 'You would've done the same thing.' And he's like, 'Yeah, I would.'"
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Who is Matthews rooting for in the Australian Open?
"I was kind of hopping on the [Nick] Kyrgios bandwagon, but I saw he pulled out today," Matthews said. "I don't see anybody beating [Novak] Djokovic ... The way he's been playing, it's going to be a tough guy to knock off."
Kyrgios withdrew from the season's first major due to a knee injury. Matthews had been looking forward to watching the Australian.
"He's super polarizing, but whether you like it or not, he's a blast to watch play," Matthews said. "Whether it's doubles or singles, you know he's going to make it entertaining. I guess I have mixed opinions on him and what I feel about him but, in the end, it doesn't really matter. I just enjoy watching him play tennis."
Matthews started playing tennis himself in recent years and recently dropped a close match against Nylander.
"Obviously, I haven't been playing a whole lot throughout the season," he said with a smile, "but I've made a lot of strides since last year so I'm pretty happy with how it's progressing."
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Monday marked the first time since the pandemic started that journalists were allowed to enter the Leafs dressing room without wearing a mask.
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Lines at Monday's practice:
Bunting - Matthews - Nylander
Jarnkrok - Tavares - Marner
McMann - Kampf - Engvall
Aston-Reese - Kerfoot - Hunt/Simmonds
Rielly - Liljegren
Giordano - Holl
Benn - Timmins
Murray
Samsonov
Power-play units at Monday's practice:
QB: Marner
Flanks: Matthews, Nylander
Middle: Tavares
Net front: Bunting
QB: Rielly
Flanks: Timmins, Jarnkrok
Middle: Engvall
Net front: McMann