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TSN Toronto Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who practised at the Ford Performance Centre on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Before starting a special teams drill on Wednesday, the Leafs players were called over to the bench where a big-screen television had been set up. Video and coaching co-ordinator Sam Kim had clips of the Vancouver Canucks power play ready to roll. 

"I haven't seen a TV put on the bench during practice in my career so that was a nice first for pretty much everyone on the ice," said defenceman Travis Dermott.

Assistant coach Dave Hakstol, who oversees the penalty kill, took the remote control and started the video, which featured plays from a recent Canucks game against the Ottawa Senators. Hakstol used his stick as a pointer. Mitch Marner got into the act as well using his stick to point something out. 

"It is good sometimes to get a visual," said defenceman Jake Muzzin, who's on the top penalty-kill unit. "I know myself and a lot of guys, we learn visually so watching and seeing stuff helps."

"It's always good to review and watch video," added Marner, "that's how you really get to see what this team's about and what they're going to do."

The Leafs, like all teams, do plenty of video work off the ice, but this was the first time we've seen it done during practice. So, why the wrinkle?

"We had a couple things we wanted to cover on the penalty kill and it was easier to do it on the ice and sort of save the team from having to go through another meeting or a longer meeting off the ice," explained head coach Sheldon Keefe. "It was just a little more efficient that way."

"Sometimes you forget stuff, stuff slips your mind once you get out on the the ice," said Dermott. "Your mindset kind of changes a little bit so it's easy to forget things. It was nice to have that refresh out there." 

Dermott was so happy with how things worked that he predicted every team will have a television on the bench during practices within the next few years. Keefe, who also meshed video and on-ice work when he served as Marlies coach, pointed out one reason why this likely won't become a staple in Toronto. 

"Something we would certainly do a lot more frequently here perhaps if all you media folks agreed to turn your cameras off," Keefe said with a grin, "but I don't think that's going to happen so you probably won't see a great deal of the TV."

The Leafs’ penalty kill is 23rd in the NHL heading into Wednesday's games.

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Keefe felt like the team hit its stride on Wednesday after looking a bit sluggish during Tuesday's practice. He pointed out that the time change and late arrival back home from Alberta on Saturday night aren't easy to recover from. 

"Takes some time to get out of that fog," Keefe said. "Today's practice, though, was excellent. We pushed the guys again today and they were skating, working and the execution was good. The energy around the team was good so that's very positive."

The main Leafs practice lasted 55 minutes on Wednesday and was preceded by about 30 minutes of skill development work. Tuesday's practice ran an hour and was also preceded by skill development work. It's rare that Keefe gets this much practice time between games.

"We fully expect our team to take a step here now having time to recover and rest a little bit, but also address some things in practice," Keefe said. "We're expecting to be a better team."

The Leafs opened the season with 10 games in 18 days, posting a 7-2-1 record. 

Much of the focus this week has been on generating more offence at even strength. 

"We got to work to get to the inside of the rink and get the pucks off the walls," said winger Wayne Simmonds, who once again skated alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. "We had an optional [practice] on Monday and a lot of the guys came in for the skills component of the day and the last two days we've kept that theme going. It's tough to get practice days in to work on those things, but when we have a four-day break like this you got to take advantage of it and I think we have."

Simmonds scored three goals during the recent four-game trip and believes the Leafs skill-development sessions have boosted his game.

"Any time you can get on the ice and get more touches and feel your edges and feel the puck it just makes things much easier in the game," the 32-year-old said. "When you're in practice you don't normally have time to do things like that just because of the nature of the beast. We're mostly doing systems and working on team skills ... Since Day 1 I've taken every opportunity I can to get on the ice and take one-on-one lessons whether it's with [consultant] Nik Antropov or Denver [Manderson]."  

Starting on Thursday, Toronto will play 11 games over the next 21 days. 

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As they prepare for a three-game set against Vancouver, the Leafs will lean on new assistant coach Manny Malhotra, who spent the last four years working with the Canucks. 

"Having Manny here certainly helps us with the preparations," Keefe acknowledged. "We've got six [divisional] opponents and we've assigned one team to different members of our coaching staff and Manny to Vancouver was an obvious one and certainly helps us. But the puck is going to drop and all that stuff doesn't matter when that happens." 

Malhotra is earning rave reviews for his work with the team's power play, which is clicking at a league-best 43.3 per cent. Malhotra is also helping players refine their faceoff skills. Toronto has won 53.3 per cent of its draws so far, which is up from 52.5 per cent last season.

"He's been a big help on our bench as well with just calmness and steadiness," said Marner. "Another guy you can talk to on the bench and ask him what his thoughts are on some plays."

Malhotra suited up in 991 NHL games with the last ones coming during the 2014-15 season.  

"He's a guy who played hard and played the right way and he's brought that to our team," said Muzzin. "He's a nice voice just to talk to."

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Muzzin and Zach Hyman were designated as alternate captains during Saturday's game in Edmonton. They will wear a letter whenever the team dons its 'Reverse Retro' sweater (three more games) and St. Pats sweater (two games) this season. 

"It was nice," Muzzin said of the gesture. "At the end of the day, it's nice to get recognized a little bit by management and coaches."

Tavares is, of course, captain with Auston Matthews, Morgan Rielly and Marner the alternates. Muzzin and Hyman are considered part of the extended leadership group along with goalie Frederik Andersen.

"It is very clear that Hyman and Muzz are both big parts of our core and big parts of our leadership group," Keefe said on Saturday night. "Our established captains recognize that as well. This was just an opportunity to recognize that. For myself, with all of the teams that I have coached, I believe in trying to recognize a larger group than just what you are allowed in a particular game."

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After sitting out two of the last three games, Dermott will draw back in on Thursday night. Keefe has repeatedly said Dermott has done nothing to take himself out of the lineup and the 24- year-old understands the situation.

"I knew right from the start there was going to be some competition, but I think that competition is just going to push us to be a better team and that's showing so far," Dermott said. "We're playing pretty well and the roster things will figure themselves out. I think it's great everyone's getting some chances to get in and get their feet underneath them." 

Mikko Lehtonen filled the third-pairing slot when Dermott sat out. The 27-year-old KHL import has now played in four games so far, including twice when Toronto dressed seven defencemen.

Dermott is averaging just 11 minutes and 19 seconds of ice time and has yet to register a point in eight games, but feels like he's making progress. 

"I'm just trying to simplify my game," Dermott said. "In the past, I've been a little too over-excited and making plays that, I guess, maybe weren't there or plays where it wasn't the right time."

During the long off-season, Dermott watched all his shifts from last season to get a better sense of where he has to grow. 

"I'm trying not to simplify it too much where I'm not doing anything out there," Dermott noted. "You're still trying to make the right play and nice play when it's there, but kind of picking my spots a little more carefully."

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Keefe is still looking for the right mix on the fourth line. He experimented with four different looks during the recent four-game trip.

"We'd like a fourth line that's going to be defensively responsible, is going to provide energy for us, is going to be able to win their share of shifts, spend time in the offensive zone and then have elements of being able to help us on special teams," Keefe outlined. "We feel like we got pieces of that. We've been moving things around and we'll likely continue with that."

It appears Keefe will try out another option against the Canucks as Delta, B.C., native Nic Petan skated alongside Travis Boyd and Jason Spezza for the second straight practice. 

Pierre Engvall skated as an extra at practice and will likely sit out after dressing on Saturday in Edmonton. 

"We've talked to him a lot about being more engaged physically and using his size and his strength to make an impact on the game," Keefe said of the 6-foot-5, 214-pound Swede. "We'd like to see some improvement there but, by and large, he's done a good job with the opportunity he's got. He's made a couple really good plays that's led to either scoring or generating high-end scoring chances. So, there's lot of things to like there for sure and despite the fact he's been in and out of the lineup we still value a lot of things he brings."

Engvall has one assist in four games this season. 

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Lines at Wednesday's practice: 

Hyman - Matthews - Marner 

Nylander - Tavares - Simmonds

Vesey - Kerfoot - Mikheyev 

Petan - Boyd - Spezza

Barabanov - Engvall - Brooks

 

Rielly - Brodie 

Muzzin - Holl

Dermott - Bogosian 

Lehtonen - Sandin

 

Andersen 

Hutchinson

Woll 

Power-play units at Wednesday's practice: 

Rielly 

Matthews - Kerfoot - Marner

Simmonds 

 

Brodie 

Spezza - Tavares - Nylander

Hyman