Usual suspects on top unit as Savard gets to work on Leafs power play
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The Toronto Maple Leafs held a skate (game group) and practice at Ford Performance Centre on Sunday.
The Leafs got to work on the power play for the first time at training camp on Sunday with new assistant coach Marc Savard overseeing the units.
"It's always different when there's new voices coming in, but it does bring an element of excitement," said defenceman Morgan Rielly, who is back as the quarterback of the top unit. "He's obviously very dialled in when it comes to the skill side, the offensive side of the game."
Savard was on Craig Berube's staff in St. Louis where he also worked with the power play during the 2019-20 season when the Blues finished third overall.
"He just has that mindset that, you know, skilled power-play guys understand," Berube said. "He always has some plays and different ideas, but he's got good structure on his power play."
Savard racked up 292 power-play points during his 807-game career in the NHL.
"I played against him," said a smiling Max Pacioretty, who took reps with the second unit on Sunday. "It makes me feel old, but he was one of the best power-play players at that time and it's cool to see him come in and teach it the way he did it. Really savvy player, no pun intended (Savard's nickname is 'Savvy'). We had our first meeting and first day of power plays today and just really good stuff in terms of you know kind of thinking outside the box and some plays that I haven't seen before."
The Leafs power play struggled down the stretch last season under former assistant coach Guy Boucher finishing seventh overall in the regular season. Toronto only converted on one of 21 chances in the seven-game series against the Boston Bruins. But, for now, the new coaching staff is happy to stick with the same personnel on the top unit with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares joining Rielly.
"This power play has been very successful over a number of years," Berube stressed. "I know you are going to bring up the playoffs last year. Well, you can go into dry spells. It happens to every team. It was just the wrong time for them, but that is a very good power-play unit."
From 2019 to 2023, only the Edmonton Oilers were more efficient on the man advantage than the Leafs during the regular season. However, Toronto's power play has tended to go quiet in the post-season. The Leafs rank 20th in power-play efficiency in the playoffs during the Matthews era.
Last year at training camp, Toronto tried out free-agent addition John Klingberg on the top unit, but he stumbled out of the gates and eventually needed season-ending surgery with Rielly returning to his usual spot.
"You look at the power play here over the years and Rielly's been on it a lot, right," Berube noted. "That's been very good."
Free-agent addition Oliver Ekman-Larsson quarterbacked the second unit at Sunday's skate.
"I'm sure we'll experiment at times," Berube said. "And we'll experiment at times throughout the season too."
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Pacioretty is happy with how his body is holding up despite the gruelling nature of Berube's training camp.
"I feel amazing," the 35-year-old winger said. "I knew I would feel good, but I didn't know I'd feel this good. I feel great."
"He looks really good," Berube agreed. "He looks really strong for me and normal Patch that I've seen in the past. He's been physical in my opinion too, which is good to see. He's a big, strong guy, and he's got a very good shot. We all know that. But his skating looks really good to me, which is a good sign."
After a few injury-plagued seasons, including tearing the same Achilles twice, Pacioretty is looking to resurrect his career in Toronto. The former Montreal Canadiens captain is at training camp on a professional tryout, but general manager Brad Treliving has said he expects him to sign with the team.
Pacioretty will get his first big chance to make a statement on Sunday when he plays on a line with Tavares.
"I think that they can probably control a lot of the play in the offensive zone with their heaviness and good puck play," noted Berube. "They both can hang on to pucks in the offensive zone and I think create a lot of O-zone time. But also score some goals and some good opportunities. Like, it's a heavy line in my opinion. You know, I think for them they just got to make sure that they advance things throughout the other zones and play north and get it behind people and go to work. That's what I see in that line with those two guys together anyhow."
"It's going to be a lot of fun," Pacioretty said. "I've said it from day one, I have a lot to prove and I'm excited to get out there now and prove it in front of the fans."
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Nikita Grebenkin is expected to join Pacioretty and Tavares on Toronto's third line for Sunday's game. The 21-year-old KHL product has stood out early in camp.
"I didn't know about him before I came," said Pacioretty. "Obviously a Russian guy. Those guys always have a lot of skill. He knows I have a little bit of a Russian background with my wife's family so I've been trying to talk to him a bit. But, you know, surprised me a lot and in the scrimmage had two really good looks. Smart player offensively and hopefully we can score tonight."
Grebenkin got in all alone on Matt Murray during Saturday's scrimmage, but couldn't sneak the puck past him. He also dumped Alex Nylander with a big hit at the end of one play.
"He has been very noticeable to me," said Berube. "He is a big, strong kid, first and foremost. He is intelligent and has a good hockey IQ. He is not afraid to take the body. Good skill."
Grebenkin, a fifth-round pick in 2022, signed an entry-level deal with the Leafs after helping Magnitogorsk Metallurg win a championship a last season.
Grebenkin, who is working on improving his English, has not been available to the media at training camp.
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It didn't take long for London Knights forward Easton Cowan to make an impression at last year's training camp. The 5-foot-11 spark-plug, who was Toronto's first-round pick in 2023, scored a power-play goal, picked up a primary assist, and earned 6-on-5 ice time at the end of his first ever NHL pre-season game.
"It was a great atmosphere last year," the 19-year-old recalled of the game in Toronto. "Just a moment I'll never forget. I'm excited for tonight."
A lot of eyes will be on Cowan on Sunday as the reigning Ontario Hockey League most outstanding player continues his push to crack the Leafs lineup. Berube called him over for a chat at the end of the morning skate.
"He's just saying to play my game, play simple," Cowan revealed. "Get pucks out, you know, play North and just play my game and good things will come."
"He's a no-nonsense player," Berube observed. "He's got great work habits. He's got a nose for the puck. The puck follows him. He can get gritty inside. He can score in different situations, but, you know, he's a worker. A worker that can produce is the way I would put it."
On the opening day of camp, Berube declared that Cowan must show he's shed junior habits in order to prove he's ready for a look in the NHL.
"Just stops and starts," Cowan said of the key for him. "I got to be good on those tonight and little chip outs. Obviously not a lot of space out there so just simplifying my game a bit will help me a lot."
Cowan sees similarities between Knights bench boss Dale Hunter and Berube.
"He's friends with Dale," Cowan pointed out. "Dale's practices are kind of similar, so that's helped me out a bit ... It's defence-first hockey and I like that."
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Forward Steven Lorentz, who is at camp on a professional tryout, skated on his own as he works his way back from an upper-body injury.
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Projected Leafs lines for Sunday's game:
Knies - Matthews - Marner
Domi - Nylander - Jarnkrok
Pacioretty - Tavares - Grebenkin
Cowan - Quillan - Reaves
Rielly - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe
Webber - Liljegren
Chadwick
Woll & Murray will split the game
Power play units at Sunday's skate:
PP1: Rielly, Matthews, Nylander, Marner, Tavares
PP2: Ekman-Larsson, Domi, Pacioretty, Grebenkin/Cowan, Knies