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Auston Matthews at the top of his game

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Auston Matthews already owns one of the most formidable shots in the NHL, and it’s that desire to continue being among the best driving the 22-year-old to continue refining it as much as possible.

“I try to work on it all the time at practice, trying to pick different spots, try different shots,” Matthews said after the Leafs’ outdoor practice at Nathan Phillips Square on Thursday. “And obviously [Frederik Andersen] is a pretty tough guy to score on, so it’s fun going up against him, and we’re pretty close [off the ice] so I like scoring on him in practice and just trying to pick those different areas on the ice to shoot it.”

The work Matthews has put in is paying off on the scoresheet. He’s notched seven goals in his last six games, and on Wednesday reached the 30-goal mark for the fourth consecutive season. Matthews is the first player in Leafs’ history to hit the 30-goal plateau in each of his first four campaigns, and joins a short list of 15 NHL skaters to have ever accomplished the feat.

Matthews’ shot still wowing his teammates: He can pick a corner quick, he’s deceptive

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The Maple Leafs discuss how Auston Matthews has elevated his game this season and how he continues to find different ways to score.

“He puts the work in every day; he’s a hard worker,” said Jason Spezza of Matthews. “He’s a guy that takes the game very seriously. I think what we’re seeing is going to be a little more the norm, not so much a hot streak. I see him as a guy that can be like this all the time and [now] the puck is going in, but I think the consistency of his game has been great. That’s the sign of a guy really coming into his own.”

Matthews’ 31 goals put him one behind Boston’s David Pastrnak for the league lead, and he credits being healthy for the entire season to date as a catalyst for his consistency.

Over the past two years, Matthews has missed time with injuries ranging from a concussion to a separated shoulder, but now his focus has been entirely on producing.

“I try to approach every game the same,” he explained. “Not really get too crazy out there with how you prepare or how you approach any such game. Just try to go out there and do your best, have fun. I want to create as much offence as I can and help the team win and produce.”

In order to do all that Matthews has also had to zero in on his defensive play, an area where head coach Sheldon Keefe has seen him make strides.

“I’ve met with Auston about that,” Keefe said. “Whether it’s his intelligence that he has or his strength or speed, his instincts, those things can really help him defensively. The more that he can be good at that, he’s going to have the puck that much more offensively. Last night [when he scored in the first period against Winnipeg] was a great example, but he’s been doing that for quite some time here now. He’s been putting in a lot of really good work on the defensive side of the puck. So I’ve been really happy with that.”

When he puts all those elements of his game together, Matthews can become the most dominant player on the ice.

“It’s incredible the way that he’s able to control a game sometimes,” said Tyson Barrie. “His shot is obviously world class. We see it all the time now. He’s making big plays at big moments in the game too, which is huge. He’s a special player and he’s on top of his game right now, so it’s fun to be a part of.”

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When Keefe said after Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout loss to Winnipeg that John Tavares had been “fighting it a bit” the last couple of games, he wasn’t calling out his captain for poor play. He was identifying how the Maple Leafs captain putting too much pressure on himself was ultimately impacting his ability to execute.

“One thing I know about John is he takes his responsibility and his role on our team very seriously,” Keefe said. “He takes a lot on his shoulders and he expects himself to be able to produce. With the skill level he has, he’s going to make plays and he’s going to score and all that’s going to happen for him. We just need him to not take on too much, and recognize that we got a lot of support around him and he can just relax and play.”

Tavares committed two turnovers in Wednesday’s loss that led directly to Jets’ goals and hasn’t produced a point in three games. But while owning up to his errors following Toronto’s most recent defeat, Tavares was also confident the bad puck luck plaguing him would break soon.

“I think obviously [there’s been] a couple mistakes here and there, but I think I’ve still been able to generate some good opportunities,” he said. “And if you’re able to capitalize on some, it can change the way you feel. …I’ve have had some good looks, hit the post a couple times, had some chances in good scoring areas, but I think it’s just continue to have the puck and play well in the offensive zone, defend well when you have to, continue to be strong in the faceoff circle and be hard to play against.”

Given Tavares still sits fourth on the Leafs in points with 36 (16 goals, 20 assists), and has a faceoff win percentage of 54.6, his slower stretch coming out of the Christmas break has hardly raised any alarm bells.

“Johnny’s the last of our worries,” said Spezza. “We know he’s going to work his way out of whatever he’s going through. Over the course of an 82-game season, there’s going to be ups and downs and good teams find a way to have contributions from different guys every night. There’ll be lots of nights where Johnny pulls us through games and wins us games himself, so he’s the least of our worries.”

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When a collection of Leafs got onto the subway Thursday morning with Toronto’s other commuters, bound for Nathan Phillips Square and the team’s outdoor practice, Barrie wasn’t sure if their presence – in full gear – was welcomed by others, but he knew from experience it was the best way to get around downtown.

“I take the subway every day to the game, so I was trying to show these guys the ropes,” Barrie said. “There’s a couple of pictures [people asked for], but it’s pretty cool to have a team pile on there when you’re just trying to get to work. Or maybe it’s annoying, I’m not sure. But either way, it was a cool day.”

Barrie: ‘I take the subway every day to the game’

With the Maple Leafs taking the subway on Thursday to their practice at Nathan Phillips Square, defenceman Tyson Barrie admits he takes the subway all the time.

Toronto split up into three groups for the practice’s 3-on-3 tournament based on a player’s region of origin, falling into Team East, Team West or Team Ontario.

Andersen watched the action in street clothes from the bench (he did an on-ice workout beforehand), leaving Michael Hutchinson and practice goalie David Ayres to man the nets. After a hotly contested round-robin and semifinal, Team East defeated Team Ontario for the title, which left a sour taste for Barrie and his third-seed Team West.

“I think anytime you get a group together and you put something on the line and people are watching, it’s going to get competitive,” he said. “Would have been nice to see Hutchy make a save. He kind of ruined it for our whole team, but whatever, it’s not a big deal. I’m not a big finger-pointer.”

Leafs Ice Chips: Barrie jokingly calls out Hutchinson after outdoor 3-on-3 tourney

The Leafs played an outdoor 3-on-3 round robin tournament at Nathan Phillips Square on Thursday afternoon. After being hotly contested it was won by Team East, much to the chagrin of Tyson Barrie from the losing Team West. Kristen Shilton has more.

All jokes aside, it was nice for the Leafs to enjoy some fresh air and a different practice format amid a busy stretch of games.

“It was fun,” said Keefe. “Great to see the fans out there and just to see our players have smiles on their faces and out there enjoying themselves. Nice little experience to break up our week and really break up our season.”

“It’s a lot less serious, and a lot of us grew up being able to play outside and just play shinny with our friends, so it was great,” added Tavares. “And with the way that the team is intertwined with the city and the community, it’s such a big tradition and big history.”

Thursday was the first time Keefe had been back to Nathan Phillips Square since the Toronto Raptors’ championship parade in June.

“I went at about 6:30 in the morning, just to get a feel for it,” Keefe said. “I got out of there – my family was in a different area when the actual parade was coming through – but I wanted to go and see what it would look like at City Hall there.”

Leafs discuss the ‘great experience’ of practicing outdoors: ‘It’s fun for everyone’

For the second year in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs took the subway to an outdoor practice in front of a ton of excited fans at the rink at Nathan Phillips Square. The Leafs discuss the amazing experience playing on the outdoor rink and their appreciation of the fans’ support, especially with the freezing weather.

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Keefe said the Leafs are planning to bring injured forward Andreas Johnsson with them to Florida on Friday, so he can practice with the team on Saturday and even possibly play on Sunday against the Panthers. Johnsson hasn’t played since hurting his leg on Dec. 4.

“We have no determination yet on what’s going to happen for him in terms of the game,” Keefe cautioned. “But he’s going to be out there and get to practice with us and we’re getting more towards the day-to-day type of stage for him.”

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Allen on trade to Devils from Habs: 'Sometimes you've got to be a little bit selfish' – Yahoo Canada Sports

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Jake Allen loved being a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

The hockey-mad market, the crackling Bell Centre on a Saturday night, the Original Six franchise’s iconic logo.

The 33-year-old goaltender is also realistic.

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With the Canadiens still in full rebuild mode — and two young netminders in Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau ready for more playing time — Allen could see the writing on the wall.

Desperate for help in their own crease, the New Jersey Devils asked Montreal about the veteran’s availability. But the team, general manager Tom Fitzgerald told reporters earlier this month, was initially on Allen’s no-trade list.

There wasn’t anything the Fredericton product disliked about the organization or city. The Devils simply appeared to have their crease set for years to come.

But when the club that finished with 112 points and made the second round of the playoffs in 2022-23 was badly hampered by poor play from Vitek Vanecek, Nico Daws and Akira Schmid — each netminder owned save percentages below .900 — the Devils circled back.

And Allen had changed his tune.

“Loved my time as a Hab,” he said of pulling on Montreal’s red, white and blue threads. “I always will cherish that. Put on probably the most special jersey in hockey, in my books. But you realize in your career, it doesn’t last forever.

“You’ve got to make decisions sometimes.”

Allen, who is signed through next season, eventually agreed to a deal that sent him to New Jersey ahead of the NHL’s March 8 trade deadline for a conditional third-round pick at the 2025 draft.

Apart from playing meaningful hockey on a team trying to claw its way back into the Eastern Conference playoff race, the swap gave him more runway to get his family settled in a new city instead of waiting to see what this summer’s crowded goalie market might bring.

“Sometimes you’ve got to be a little bit selfish,” said Allen, a Stanley Cup champion with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. “Look yourself in the mirror and wonder what’s best for you and your family.”

He’s been really good for his new team.

Allen was lights out in Tuesday’s first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs, making an eye-popping 25 saves in what would turn into New Jersey’s 6-3 victory.

So far he’s 4-2-0 with a .925 save percentage and a 2.51 goals against average in six starts for the Devils, who sit five points back of the East’s second wild-card spot.

“A real pro,” said interim head coach Travis Green.

Allen is a combined 10-14-3 in 2023-24 with a .900 save percentage and a 3.39 GAA. Across his 11 seasons with St. Louis, Montreal and now New Jersey, he’s 193-164-41 with a .908 save percentage and 2.75 GAA.

“Makes the saves we need to get some momentum back,” Devils captain Nico Hischier said. “If you have a solid goalie in the net, that makes your work easier.”

Allen is also 11-12 with a .924 and a 2.06 GAA all-time in the playoffs — a good sign for his new club should New Jersey manage to make the cut.

For now, though, he’s just enjoying being back in a post-season race.

“I thought this was a good opportunity to come in the rest of this year, play some games,” Allen said.

“It’s been a good start.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2024.

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Follow @JClipperton_CP on X.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

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Matthews game-time decision for Maple Leafs against Capitals with illness – NHL.com

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TORONTOAuston Matthews will be a game-time decision for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SN1, MNMT) because of an illness.

“It’s going to be on how he feels throughout the day,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said.

The forward did not participate in Toronto’s morning skate. Max Domi took his place as the center on a line between Tyler Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner, a right wing recovering from a high-ankle sprain sustained March 7 and will be out the next two games.

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Matthews leads the NHL with 59 goals, one from becoming the ninth player in NHL history with at least two 60-goal seasons. He scored 60 in 73 games in 2021-22, when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy, Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. He had one goal and nine shots in 23:44 of a 6-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, which extended his point streak to five games (four goals, seven assists).

He missed one game this season with illness, a 7-0 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 16.

“Of course, it’s an adjustment when your best player is out of the lineup,” Domi said, “when anybody is out of the lineup, but I think we’ve done a great job all year of guys stepping up when they have to, and we just have to continue to do that.”

Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly will miss his second straight game with an upper-body injury.

“He just remains day to day,” Keefe said. “We’re hopeful he’s going to bounce back here. The one thing that is good is once he gets through this day or two here, it’s not going to be a lingering situation. It’s not going to be an injury that’s ongoing. Once he’s past it, he’s past it so we just need to give him some time.”

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Canucks place goalie Thatcher Demko on long-term injured list

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The Vancouver Canucks have placed all-star goalie Thatcher Demko on the long-term injured reserve list retroactively.

“It’s just cap related,” coach Rick Tocchet said after practice Wednesday. “We get some cap relief, that’s all it is.”

The 28-year-old netminder has been considered week to week since being sidelined with a lower-body injury midway through Vancouver’s 5-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets on March 9.

That injury designation hasn’t changed, Tocchet said.

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Demko boasts a 34-18-2 record this season, with a .917 save percentage, a 2.47 goals-against average and five shutouts.

Casey DeSmith has taken over the starting job for Vancouver, going 3-2-1 since Demko’s injury. He has a .899 save percentage on the season with a 2.73 goals-against average and one shutout.

The earliest Demko could be back in the Canucks’ lineup is April 6 against the Kings in Los Angeles.

He’s expected to be a key piece as Vancouver (45-19-8) prepares for its first playoff appearance since the COVID-shortened 2019-20 campaign.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin also announced Wednesday that the club has called up forward Arshdeep Bains from the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League.

“I’d like to see where [Bains is] at,” Tocchet said, noting he isn’t sure whether the 23-year-old winger will slot into the lineup when the Canucks host the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

WATCH | Bains makes NHL debut

 

Surrey, B.C.’s Arshdeep Bains makes Canucks debut

1 month ago

Duration 2:20

Arshdeep Bains from Surrey, B.C., has made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. As CBC’s Joel Ballard reports, it’s been a hard-fought journey for the hometown kid to the big leagues.

Bains played five games for the NHL team in February before being sent back to Abbotsford.

“He went down, he’s done a couple of things that we like, and he’s got some speed,” Tocchet said.

Vancouver may get another forward back in the lineup Thursday.

Dakota Joshua practised in a full-contact jersey on Wednesday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in Vancouver’s 4-2 win over the Blackhawks in Chicago on Feb. 13.

The physical winger, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has a career-high 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) this season.

Sitting out injured “hasn’t been fun,” Joshua said.

“It feels like forever,” he said. “But at this point, that’s behind me and I’m moving forward.”

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