Matthews leaves practice early, but issue not considered serious
Published
The Maple Leafs held a morning skate (game group) and practice on Tuesday at the Ford Performance Centre.
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Auston Matthews left the ice midway through Tuesday's practice and did not return.
"Just an upper-body thing," said head coach Craig Berube. "It's not serious. He should be fine."
Matthews was not scheduled to play in Tuesday's game.
With Matthews sidelined, Mitch Marner moved to the middle during the rest of the practice.
"Mitch is talented enough to play anywhere to be honest with you," said Berube. "He was fine at centre. A good fill-in there."
The Leafs also have pre-season games on Thursday and Saturday this week.
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Veteran winger Calle Jarnkrok missed practice with a lower-body injury. He is listed as day-to-day.
Jarnkrok started training camp on a line with William Nylander and Max Domi.
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After being sidelined early in camp with an upper-body injury, Steven Lorentz rejoined practice on Tuesday.
"I'm just testing things right now," the 6-foot-4 forward said. "Getting back to almost 100 per cent, but I'm feeling confident, feeling strong. Again, when you take a few days off, like I just did, and when the intensity's this high, you kinda gotta get your legs back on you a little bit, so after the first couple drills, I was feeling fine again. I'm already excited to get back out here tomorrow."
Time is of the essence for Lorentz, who is attending training camp on a professional tryout.
"It's maybe a little bit extra motivation," the 28-year-old from Kitchener, Ont. said. "But at the same time, my job's simple: Just come in here and try to earn a job. I don't have to go out and do anything flashy. I just gotta play the game that's gotten me to this point so far."
What's his game?
"Big, strong, physical, and simple," he said. "Doesn't get too much more complicated than that."
Lorentz played 38 games with the Florida Panthers last season. He also suited up in 16 playoff games en route to the Stanley Cup championship.
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Nick Robertson will play his first pre-season game on Tuesday in Ottawa.
"He's been great here in camp," Berube said of the 5-foot-9 winger. "His work ethic has been unbelievable. He's hounding pucks and on pucks. He's strong on it. He's just got to do that tonight in the game. He doesn't have to complicate the game. Using his speed, playing straight lines, be responsible defensively."
Robertson lined up beside Pontus Holmberg and Bobby McMann at the morning skate.
After requesting a trade at the start of the off-season, the 23-year-old sniper signed a one-year deal with the Leafs earlier this month. He's hoping to earn a job on the Leafs roster out of camp for the first time in his career.
"I just got to do what I got to do," he said. "I'm focused on myself and just playing well, and coaches sort that stuff out. I mean, we're all competitors. We're not just competing against one guy. We're always competitors in practice and competitors against other teams in games."
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Easton Cowan will suit up in a second straight pre-season game. The London Knights forward is looking to build off his effort on Sunday.
"Just bring a bit more confidence, carry the puck a bit more," he said. "I find I had a bit more space than I thought out there and just getting back adjusted to the speed. It'll be easier for me to adjust tonight, obviously, with playing the last game and having a little game under my belt and just getting back into it. So, I'm excited again for tonight."
Cowan started Sunday's game on the fourth line before getting moved up to play with John Tavares and Max Pacioretty.
"I learned a lot even just sitting on the bench with them," the 19-year-old said. "Just learning where to dump pucks in, you know, smart, little plays that create goals, and just getting to the net and good things will happen."
Cowan will start Tuesday's game on a line with Toronto Marlies captain Logan Shaw and Nikita Grebenkin.
"He did some good things," Berube said of Cowan's game on Sunday. "He's a very good player. There's a couple of situations where maybe he could have made a different decision with the puck than he did. Overall, I was pretty pleased with his effort and what he did in the game."
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Lines in Tuesday's morning skate:
Knies - Kampf - A. Nylander
McMann - Holmberg - Robertson
Cowan - Shaw - Grebenkin
Hirvonen - Quillan - Steeves
Benoit - Timmins
Mermis - Myers
Rifai - Mattinen
Kokkonen
Stolarz
Hildeby
Lines in Tuesday's practice:
Lorentz - Matthews - Marner
Domi - Nylander - Abruzzese
Pacioretty - Tavares - Reaves
Barbolini - Pare - Tverberg
Rielly - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe
Webber - Liljegren
Niemela, Villeneuve
Woll
Murray