No points, no problem: Snakebitten Matthews likes look of Leafs
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The Maple Leafs practised at Ford Performance Centre on Monday.
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For only the second time in his career, Auston Matthews has started a season with a three-game point drought.
"It's nice to get the first one to get going sometimes," the 27-year-old centre said. "But you take what you get and what the game gives you sometimes."
Matthews also started the 2021-22 season with a three-game dry spell, but that year he was coming off wrist surgery. Last year, Matthews came out of the gates on fire with consecutive hat tricks. He finished with 69 goals and a third Rocket Richard Trophy.
Matthews may not have a point yet, but he's fired a team high 15 shots on net and hit the post a couple of times.
"You just continue to play the right way, continue to generate chances," he said. "It's going to go in eventually and that's when you can kind of get on a roll."
Craig Berube agrees.
"He's getting chances," the head coach said. "He had eight shots last game. I mean, he's getting opportunities. They don't go in all the time. You go through stretches as a player. I went through a lot of stretches like that. Like, 50 games."
That elicited laughs from the gathered media.
"What I really like about his game is his effort and his compete out there and playing 200 feet," Berube continued. "He's been matched up against top lines every night and doing a good job."
Matthews, who was nominated for the Selke Trophy last season, is plus-two and has blocked four shots, which is tied for the team lead among forwards.
"We want him to score and he wants to score and it'll come," Berube said.
Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies both scored during Saturday's 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins so it's not like the top line isn't producing. Still, this is an unusually quiet start for one of the most consistent scorers in the game. In fact, Matthews hasn't gone this long without a point in regular season play since he was held off the scoresheet in three consecutive games last November.
"I like a lot of what we're doing as a team," Matthews said. "We're playing really sound hockey all throughout our lineup and that's the most important thing."
Matthews has never gone four straight games without a point to start a season. Toronto's next game is on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings, who allowed eight goals during an overtime loss in Ottawa on Monday.
Per usual, Matthews hit the ice ahead of Monday's practice to do some extra work. The Arizona native is trusting his process.
"The chances are there," he stressed. "It's just a matter of time."
Matthews is starting the season as the team's captain for the first time, but Berube doesn't feel the new role is a factor.
"I don't see him acting like there's too much pressure or putting too much pressure on himself," Berube said. "He seems fine to me. In practice today, again, he looks great out there. He looks like he's moving really well."
If anything wearing the 'C' is inspiring Matthews, who received a big cheer when he was introduced as captain for the first time at Saturday's home opener.
"It was special," he said. "Our fan base and just the atmosphere and everything, it's a special place to play, so it definitely meant a lot to feel that energy from that crowd."
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If there's one area where Matthews and the Leafs need to improve, it's the power play, which has failed to convert on all nine chances so far. Berube described it as "stagnant" after Saturday's game.
The team spent half of Monday's practice working on special teams.
"They seemed to have some energy and excitement in it, which is good," Berube said. "That's a big thing for power-play guys — they got to feel it, right? Right now, in the games, we're not feeling very well."
The power-play started with some five-on-zero reps at practice before adding in the penalty killers. The practice wrapped up with a small-area game pitting the two units against each other.
Matthews listed working off the puck, being in good positions, and attacking the net more as areas of emphasis under new assistant coach Marc Savard.
There's also been a personnel change. Oliver Ekman-Larsson replaced Morgan Rielly as the quarterback on the top unit midway through Saturday's game and the 33-year-old defenceman remained in that spot during Monday's workout.
"Just go back to the basics a little bit and shoot the puck a little bit more," Ekman-Larsson advised.
Ekman-Larsson is the right man for that job.
"He was always one of those guys that could really sift that puck through and get it through all the time," Berube said. "We like that he's looking to shoot a lot."
Since the 2013-14 season, Nashville's Roman Josi (61) is the only defenceman with more power-play goals than Ekman-Larsson (57).
But maintaining a shot mentality may be tricky when you consider the options on Toronto's top unit, which includes Matthews, Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares.
"You look around and it's hard to decide who to give the puck to sometimes," Ekman-Larsson said with a grin. "But I think any of those guys, it's a good option. [There's] so many threats out there ... we have to use that to our advantage a little bit too and open up different looks."
The first goal the top unit scored at practice came via Matthew Knies, who deflected in a pass from Marner.
Knies took the place of Tavares, who missed Saturday's game due to illness and remained absent at Monday's practice. Berube did say Tavares is feeling better.
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Ekman-Larsson is tied for second on the team with 11 shots on net so far behind only Matthews. He's also tied for the team lead in rebounds created, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
"A lot of poise," observed fellow defenceman Timothy Liljegren. "His shot is so sick. It's so smooth and he gets a lot of shots through to the net, too."
How's he do it?
"Long stick," Liljegren said with a smile.
Ekman-Larsson says his 82-flex stick goes all the way up to his nose. He's preferred a longer stick ever since he broke into the NHL.
"I can get around the puck a little bit quicker and slide it out a little bit more if I have to," the 6-foot-2 Swede explained. "I joke around that you don't have to skate that much if you have a long stick."
Ekman-Larsson also uses the stick to great effect in the defensive zone and is quickly building up trust with the coaching staff. He logged just over 25 minutes on Saturday, which led the team. He hasn't played that much in a game since last November.
"He's extremely skilled," observed Matthews. "I really like his game. He's hard on the puck defensively as well. I didn't realize how much bite he plays with on the defensive side of the puck until seeing him here."
Ekman-Larsson has landed four hits so far, which is second among Toronto's defencemen behind only partner Jake McCabe, who has seven.
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After the Penguins converted on an early power play on Saturday, Matthews and Marner became the top forward unit on Toronto's penalty kill.
"It helps going out there with Mitchy," Matthews noted. "He's been doing it for a long time and he's one of the best at it. Our chemistry, the way he communicates out there, makes it easier for me to know where I'm supposed to be and to be in the right spots."
New associate coach Lane Lambert has installed a system that calls for the killers to bring a lot of pressure and the Leafs are looking to take advantage of the pre-existing chemistry between Matthews and Marner.
"Him and Mitch have been a good pair," said Berube. "They obviously have great chemistry and read off each other well. And, in our system too, it works well where he can be aggressive and skate and use his size, his feet, and his stick."
The Leafs have experimented with Matthews on the penalty kill in recent years, but he's never had a consistent role. Last year, Matthews averaged 43 seconds of shorthanded ice time a game, which was eighth among the team's forwards. This year he's sixth at close to two minutes a game and trending up.
"It's a challenge," he said. "But it's something I've wanted to do the last couple years and take more of a step forward in that regard so it's been nice to see lots of reps there the first couple of games."
The Leafs have allowed a power-play goal against in all three games so far as they look for the right mix. Matthews and Marner have been on for one of the goals.
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After sitting out the first three games as a healthy scratch, it looks like Liljegren may make his season debut on Wednesday night. He practised on the third pair opposite Simon Benoit on Monday.
"Not fun not playing, but I've been trying to come in and work as hard as I can to get back in the lineup," Liljegren said.
Berube has noticed.
"He has been practising well," the coach confirmed. "His practices have been better — more intensity, and doing things quicker. There is a chance he could play on Wednesday."
Liljegren struggled during training camp with Berube calling on the 25-year-old righty to simplify his game and play heavier. Liljegren isn't sure why he got off to a slow start.
"I don't have a good answer for you," he admitted. "I tried my best, but it didn't go my way."
Liljegren signed a two-year, $6-million extension in the summer and if he isn't a regular contributor then the cap-strapped Leafs may deem him too expense to keep around in a depth role. With Liljegren on the outside looking in to start the season, trade speculation swirled around the Swede.
"I try not to think about it," Liljegren said. "I'm not really on social media that much so I don't see a lot of stuff. If something happens, it happens, but I'm just coming in and working hard."
Liljegren has struggled to nail down a place in Toronto's top six over the years. He's been a part of three playoff runs in Toronto and each time he's ended up in the press box as a healthy scratch at least once.
"I had some tough times last year too and I got through it so I'm sure it will be no different this time," he said.
The Leafs added a few right-shot options on defence in the summer, including Chris Tanev, Jani Hakanpää and Philippe Myers.
Tanev is slotting in on the top pair beside Rielly. Hakanpää is on long term injured reserve as he rehabs a knee injury, but is eligible to be activated in early November. Myers, who signed a one-year deal at the league minimum of $775,000, impressed during training camp and unexpectedly earned a roster spot. Like Liljegren, he has been a healthy scratch in the first three games.
"I love Toronto," said Liljegren, who was a first round pick in 2017. "I came over [when] I was 18 and I've been here since. I love the city. I love team and I'm happy to be here."
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Joseph Woll skated on his own before practice.
"That is a good sign," said Berube. "He is improving. We will see where he is at tomorrow and if he can come out with us for a bit and take some shots. We are not sure yet."
Woll missed the first three games of the season with what the team is calling "lower-body tightness."
Toronto's goaltending is off to a strong start despite the absence of the projected starter.
Dennis Hildeby stopped 21 of 23 shots in New Jersey on Thursday to pick up a win in his NHL debut. On Saturday, Anthony Stolarz earned his first win with the Leafs. He has a .940 save percentage in two games.
It was suggested to Berube that the Leafs don't need to rush Woll back considering the results in net.
"Well, we wouldn't rush a guy anyhow, no matter what, especially a goalie with an injury," Berube countered. "We want all players to be fully healthy, and we don't want to put anybody at risk of making it worse or sustaining another injury. Right now, we are fine, but we want to get him back as quickly as we can."
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Saturday's home opener was special for Kitchener, Ont. native Steven Lorentz.
"Oh it was crazy," the 28-year-old forward said with a big smile. "Yeah, it was pretty cool. My parents were in the stands and that was the first home opener they've seen with me ... They had a great time, and I knew they were up there. Going out and looking around, I don't know, it was surreal. A lot of fun."
The opening introductions are what he'll remember most.
"Just skating out to the blue line and tapping Max [Domi] and just looking around and just looking at him and knowing he was that kid, like myself, cheering for the Leafs growing up and thinking, like, 'Wow this is kind of full circle.' Pretty cool."
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Lines at Monday's practice:
Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Domi - Nylander
Pacioretty - Holmberg - Robertson
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves
Dewar
Rielly - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - McCabe
Benoit - Liljegren
Timmins - Myers
Hakanpää
Stolarz
Hildeby
Power play units at Monday's practice:
PP1
Ekman-Larsson, Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Knies
PP2
Rielly, Domi, Pacioretty, Robertson, McMann