TSN SportsCentre Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who practised at Ford Performance Centre on Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.
The first challenge for Ryan O’Reilly at his first practice with the Leafs was finding it. The players are split across three pads for skills sessions before the main group meets.
“I was a little confused,” the veteran centre admits with a smile. “I walked out to that ice [Leafs pad] and they sent me to the other [Marlies] one and I got out there and they sent me to the other one.”
The practice with the full group starts on the Marlies pad before moving to the Leafs pad for special teams work and the final drills.
“It’s nice because if you’re on one sheet it will get chewed up quickly and kind of slows it down,” said O’Reilly. “It’s nice especially for me, not the greatest skater, so I can feel a little faster with less snow out there.”
Ryan O’Reilly gets some instructions on which pad to start on as he takes the ice for his first practice as a Leaf pic.twitter.com/m02RdZGHOA
O’Reilly is still getting up to speed with how the Leafs do things.
“I was a little more nervous for the practice than I was the first game,” he said. “You don’t know any of the drills and the pace and how it goes.”
One pleasant surprise? Loud music blares during most drills.
“A little different,” O’Reilly said. “It gives a little energy. Obviously, it puts a little more pep in the step when you get the tunes going.”
It’s been a whirlwind week for the 32-year-old, who was acquired from the Blues along with fellow centre Noel Acciari late last Friday night. The pair travelled to Toronto from St. Louis on Saturday morning and made their debuts that night in a win against the Montreal Canadiens. There was another game on Sunday in Chicago, which was followed by a travel day on Monday before another game on Tuesday in Buffalo.
Wednesday offered an opportunity for O’Reilly to catch his breath in the form of a full day off.
“I had a nice sauna at the hotel,” he said. “That was pretty much it. It was nice to open the window and see the snow coming down. It was like, ‘Oh, welcome back to Canada.’ It was nice to have a day off after all that hockey and all that travel.”
Finally, on Thursday, O’Reilly and Acciari got a chance to explore their new practice facility and drill down on the team’s system and structure.
“It was nice practising the power play because we haven’t really had many opportunities,” said O’Reilly, who is playing the bumper spot with the second unit. “It was nice to communicate what we want to do off faceoffs. It’s just being a little more comfortable everywhere and run through it a few times to see what it looks like and how it should be done. It was great to have that practice and iron some things out.”
“It is the next piece of the puzzle,” said coach Sheldon Keefe. “They have played a home game. They have played a couple of games on the road now and spent time with their teammates. Getting that feel for the practice, being in this facility, and seeing more new faces sort of completes that adjustment period for them. Everything will start to feel a little more like normal, or at least a new normal, for them. I think both guys have been adjusting very well.”
Ryan O’Reilly the last skater on the ice at Leafs practice
Before cracking jokes during a lengthy media session, O’Reilly was the last skater on the ice at Thursday’s practice and helped collect the pucks.
“He is a very fun and easygoing guy,” observed Keefe. “He doesn’t take himself or anything else too seriously and yet he takes his game, his routine, and his craft extremely seriously. He works extremely hard at it. That is a pretty rare balance. You see a lot of guys who are very serious and at times maybe need to loosen up and have a little fun. I think he has that good balance. There is a great level of confidence that comes with the type of career and accomplishments that he has had being such a leader in St. Louis and winning the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe.”
O’Reilly believes playing games before getting in a practice actually helped, because he could simply trust his instincts. O’Reilly made it clear to Leafs management that he wanted to play right away despite the travel.
“He just has a great confidence about him that allows him to just be confident in who he is and be himself,” said Keefe. “Right from the moment he stepped into our facilities, to me, he has just been himself and looked very comfortable. I think that has allowed the adjustment to happen very quickly for him. I don’t think it is a stretch to say he is an extremely important part of our team, but he is also bringing a lot of things to our team that are really going to help us in a lot of areas — not just in what his on-ice contributions are.”
ContentId(1.1922926): Leafs Ice Chips: O’Reilly has pep in his step at first practice
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Toronto has won two of three games since the trade with both of the new recruits getting on the scoresheet.
“The last couple games with them, I think we’ve gotten a big boost,” said centre Auston Matthews. “Morale around the room, a lot of really good energy is flowing and that’s what you look for when you pick up keys guys like that. We’ve been really welcoming. They’ve come in here and made themselves at home.”
Acciari scored in Chicago and has elevated the fourth line. O’Reilly got on the board in Buffalo with a hat trick. Mitch Marner had the primary assist on all three goals.
“You could have put a PeeWee kid on his line and he probably would’ve had a hat trick,” O’Reilly said with a laugh. “He’s just incredible. His processing ability with the vision is just next level. He already knows what he’s doing before he even gets the puck. For myself, it’s very easy to play with. You know he’s going to find you.”
O’Reilly remained on a line with Marner and John Tavares at practice.
“Playing against him it was always a bit of a chess match because he understands and reads the game so well,” said Tavares of O’Reilly. “The communication he has throughout the shifts or on the bench and obviously just reading off each other, there was definitely a step there [on Tuesday] from the three of us. His game is such a complement to our group and the type of players we have.”
O’Reilly, Marner and Tavares combined for 13 points in Tuesday’s win and helped the Leafs unlock a new level. Keefe called the opening period in Buffalo the most dominant sequence for his team all season.
“We were able to transition really well,” Matthews said. “The first period, especially, we probably transitioned the puck as well as we have all season and counter attacking really strongly and just playing quick. When we’re doing that we put a lot of pressure on the other team and we were able to capitalize on some chances.”
ContentId(1.1922849): O’Reilly on playing with Marner: ‘PeeWee kid probably would’ve had a hat trick’
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Thursday was also the first practice for Tavares since moving to left wing.
“I’m not in the middle of the ice nearly as much,” Tavares said following Tuesday’s four-point performance. “So just being on the walls, trying to be good there with those plays and then working to get into good spots, open ice, getting my feet moving and continue to build my game from there. Each and every game, feeling better and better, a little less thinking and it becomes more habit and instinctive … Happy with some of the progress I’ve had.”
Keefe expects Tavares will eventually move back to the middle, but is encouraged by how the 32-year-old has embraced the experiment.
“It’s impressive,” agreed defenceman Morgan Rielly, “but that’s who he is. You know, if your role changes you have to be willing to accept that and work. I mean, it’s not a big change or, well, it is, but ultimately on the depth chart he’s just moving over. But that’s just good leadership. We expect other guys to do that, take on different roles, so when your captain is able to do it that’s just leading by example.”
ContentId(1.1922391): Tavares leads by example with willingness to move to wing
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O’Reilly grew up in Clinton, Ont., but he wasn’t a die-hard Leafs fan. Instead, he kept tabs on certain players, including gritty Leafs winger Darcy Tucker.
“I always loved watching him play,” O’Reilly said. “I can remember the crazy Tucks eyes that he’d have when you turned on the TV to watch the Leafs.”
O’Reilly actually lived with Tucker during his first season in the NHL (2009-10), which would end up being Tucker’s last. They remain friends.
What was Tucker’s message after the trade?
“He says I’ll absolutely love it here,” O’Reilly revealed. “We know he loves it here and all the things he’s done for the city. We have great conversations.”
All my kids back in Toronto unfortunately the basement spot isn’t available ❤️ Lets go!!! pic.twitter.com/24hepDEQbS
In a jubilant dressing room on Tuesday, O’Reilly passed the team’s player-of-the-game belt to Acciari.
“JT, Marns, way to make me look good tonight,” he declared. “Appreciate it. This goes to the guy who finished every check. Always does it. You guys will get used to it.”
Acciari leads the Leafs with 13 hits in the last three games. He now has 181 on the season, which ranks seventh among all NHL forwards. Zach Aston-Reese is the closest Leaf with 121 hits.
“I might not be the most skilled or [be able to] put the puck in the net every night, but I want to bring an aspect every night,” the 31-year-old explained. “For me to make it in the league I had to focus on what helped me get there and it was my hard play and I couldn’t get away from that. I tried to make it the best I can and work at it every year and try to keep it consistent so you know what you’re going to get out of me every night.”
Acciari stands just 5-foot-10, but he packs a punch at 209 pounds.
“He’s heavy,” observed Matthews. “He hits hard and he seems to be in the right spots all over the ice. He plays extremely responsible on both ends and he’s extremely competitive. It was pretty evident in all three games he’s played in, but especially last game you could see when stuff started to slip for us that line went out there and got it back with their physicality and competitiveness.”
“I love cookies,” he explained. “I got that nickname in Florida from [Keith] Yandle. There were no cookies at a pre-game meal and I didn’t throw a fit, but was a little upset. Keith helped me get that in the pre-game meals and then he goes, ‘I’ve never seen someone act like that so I’m going to call you, ‘Cookie.'”
Acciari’s sweet tooth has led to a sweet tradition with his two-year-old son Greyson.
“Before the pre-game naps I’ll have Oreos with my little guy,” Acciari said. “He calls it ‘cookie time’ and that’s pretty special to me. Before naps [on the road] and when I’m having my cookie, I’ll try and get a FaceTime with him and tell him, ‘It’s cookie time.'”
So, what sort of cookie supply do the Leafs boast?
“They had it at the rink for pre-game meal there,” the Rhode Island native said approvingly. “They were very good. I was very surprised. I was very happy with them.”
ContentId(1.1922882): New Leaf Acciari opens up about love of cookies, physical play
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On Wednesday, the Leafs confirmed what had long been suspected: Jake Muzzin will miss the rest of the season with a cervical spine injury. However, the defenceman remains a constant presence around the team.
“He has been in this facility every day that we have been here,” Keefe noted. “He is at every game. He has made most of the road trips with us. It just speaks to his character. He’s continuing to be a part of it and doing all he can to help the team while not playing and also still pushing himself. You see him in the gym consistently doing everything he can in his control. Unfortunately, his body is just not going to allow him to play this season.”
Muzzin opted to celebrate his 34th birthday in Buffalo on Tuesday night.
“Suck it, Court,” a smiling Marner said referring to Muzzin’s wife Courtney. “We get him … He’s still one of the head honchos here, really, in the dressing room. We got a lot of love for that man and I do, especially.”
“Our players love having him around and enjoy his personality, his friendship, his leadership, and his perspective on things,” said Keefe. “He knows how we play. He knows what the expectations are. He has great bonds with our players. He is an integral piece of our leadership group and that won’t change. We will get everything we can out of him that way. He is going to give us everything he has even though he is not going to be in uniform. He wants to win as badly as anyone. That is one of the intangibles he has brought here to Toronto.”
The Leafs will update Muzzin’s status again at training camp in September.
ContentId(1.1922904): ‘He wants to win as bad as anyone’: Muzzin a constant presence around Leafs
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After missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury, defenceman Rasmus Sandin skated on the third pair at practice.
“The practice was important for him to get through,” Keefe said. “We will see how he is through the rest of the day. At this point, it is probably looking like another day or two could really benefit him. He is not far away. I think he was really close today, but we may take a little more cautious approach with him. We will see. He is at the point now where he is improving dramatically every day. Strength is not quite where they need it to be, but if that improves significantly and takes a big turn tomorrow, I feel like he could be a possibility. All of that is to say he is very close, one way or the other.”
Conor Timmins has filled in for Sandin the last two games.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.
Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.
There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.
But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.
The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”
The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.
Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.
Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.
Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.
“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”
“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.
Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.
Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.
The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.
Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.
Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.
Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).
Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).
Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
