See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source With exhibition games in just two days and an 84-game schedule starting a week Saturday, the Maple Leafs can’t tip-toe into this condensed training camp. So the first group to hit the ice at Thursday’s 10 a.m.
opening bell featured just about everyone who’s in line for introduction at Scotiabank Arena on Sept. 29.
That included seven high-profile forwards who’ve just joined the team or were injured at the end of last season, four defencemen and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. HOW QUICKLY WAS THE FIRST LEAF GROUP SELECTED?
“It’s atypical of how you’d run a camp,” head coach Jim Hiller agreed, comparing it to the COVID-shortened season when he was Sheldon Keefe’s assistant in Toronto. “I think we had four or five days — not even a camp, just getting the team together — and I was so impressed when the puck dropped for the first game how good everybody was.
“For us, new coaches (himself, associate Daniel Alfredsson and assistants John Gruden and Brad Werenka), new players, new managers, we just thought we don’t have enough time. You talk about team bonding, but being on the ice and working hard against each other is also part of bonding, not just having dinners and golfing.
“We just wanted to get them as tight as possible.” Hiller and GM John Chayka want to foster a familiarity that began weeks ago with summer skates at the Ford Centre. John Tavares and William Nylander were paired with teenager Gavin McKenna as Hiller finally unveiled where the first-overall pick will start.
A healthy Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies will have another newcomer, Jack Roslovic, on their right side, both lines to be featured this Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens in a split-squad exhibition. And Hiller was quick to notice the instant jam on display with sophomore Easton Cowan on the left with two additions, centre Nick Paul and Colton Sissons.
WHO ARE AMONG THE LEFTOVER LEAFS? Headed to Quebec for a game this same Saturday will be a much greener group, including picks such as forward Tinus Luc Koblar, who’d normally get more exposure to veteran NHLers in camp.
You can put a number of Calder Cup-winning Marlies in that same boat, who thought their AHL title would mean intense job contention before Chayka brought in a slew of NHL-ready bottom-six forwards and extra defenceman. Those farmhands include forwards Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, Bo Groulx, Landon Sim, Vinni Lettieri, Michael Pezzetta, Ryan Tverberg and defenceman Noah Chadwick.
“The (short) length of camp forces that,” a sympathetic Tavares said. “Makes it tougher for some guys to make an impression or get looks in different spots.
But it is what it is. “For us (incumbents), you obviously have a good sense of where the team is at (already), to build that chemistry.” Why the Daniel Alfredsson hiring'shocked' this Maple Leafs player Why Gavin McKenna has started Maple Leafs training camp on John Tavares' line At least one of Chayka’s summer signings, forward Zach MacEwen, is with the secondary lineup for now and, while rookie defencemen Ben Danford and PTO Nick Blankenburg had first-group status — partnered with Emil Andrae and Troy Stecher, respectively — keep in mind Morgan Rielly should be back by opening night.
Rielly skated with a third group of free agents, draft picks and minor leaguers on Thursday as he slowly recovers from a viral infection that grounded him before camp. Lhornby@postmedia.com X: @sunhornby
