The Maple Leafs held a practice and scrimmage at the Ford Performance Centre on Saturday.
Frederik Andersen has a theory about how Toronto’s top stars got so many odd-man rushes against him during Saturday’s scrimmage.
“Something our team needs to adjust for a little bit is they’re cherry picking,” the Leafs goalie said with a smile. “I haven’t seen Willie be in their end yet.”
William Nylander scored two goals in leading Team Matthews past Team Andersen 6-2 in the second of five planned scrimmages at training camp. The series, which pits close friends Andersen and Auston Matthews against each other, is now even at a game apiece.
“It’s a best-of-three now,” Andersen said deadpan, “so we’ll recover and reset here.”
Andersen is facing a stiff test in the scrimmages as Team Matthews features Toronto’s top two forward lines, which is a hard group to keep in check at the best of times. Matthews (on a breakaway) and John Tavares (on a two-on-one rush) both scored during Saturday’s romp.
“All joking aside, they’re some of better players in the league, some of the deadliest players when they get the puck in the scoring situation so that’s a tough opponent,” Andersen said. “It’s good for me to be able to see a lot of shots from them.”
Andersen posted the worst save percentage of his NHL career (.909) while starting 52 of Toronto’s 70 regular season games. It’s imperative that the Leafs get the 30-year-old feeling good about his game during this training camp.
“He had a tough day in the scrimmage,” head coach Sheldon Keefe acknowledged. “I think that his team has to do a better job in front of him. I thought he was the real stand out of the day yesterday … he’s just like everybody else, finding his way to get ready to play and I’ve got no doubts that he will be.”
”I’ve been feeling really good in practices,” Andersen said. “The game situations, getting the timing of everything and reading plays, yeah, that’s what’s kind of missing and these games are good for that stuff.”
Jack Campbell, acquired in a February trade with the Los Angeles Kings, has stabilized the back-up spot, but Keefe made it clear the Leafs will go as far as the six-foot-four Dane carries them.
“Frederik Andersen, from my perspective, was a big reason why that series against Boston went to seven games [last year with] the work that he did to be the backbone of the team at different times. We feel good about his ability to do that. So, when you have somebody who has done it for you and has that ability you’re going to give them more of an opportunity, of course, and trust that they’ll find their way … Fred’s our guy and we have to do all we can to have him prepared.”
Andersen jokes that Nylander is cherry picking at Leafs scrimmage
After a lopsided loss to Auston Matthews’ squad, goaltender Frederik Andersen joked that the opposing team was cherry picking a bit during Game 2 and they’ll be ready for the third and deciding game. Mark Masters has more on the confidence Sheldon Keefe has in his goaltender.
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Andersen, who posted a .922 save percentage in the series against Boston last year, is using the early part of camp to experiment with some new equipment. The CN Tower pads from Bauer, which he wore before the pandemic pause, are gone.
“Just something I’m trying to work out so that’s all I’ll say about that,” Andersen noted coyly. “I’m just trying to make sure I can be the best I can be.”
How important is the feel of equipment to a goalie?
“It means everything,” he said.
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Zach Hyman took a Jason Spezza shot off his leg during special teams work on Friday and appeared to be in a great deal of discomfort. After chatting with the medical staff, he completed the on-ice work. But the winger missed Saturday’s practice and scrimmage. Per NHL policy, Keefe could only say Hyman was “unfit” to take the ice.
In his absence, 18-year-old Nick Robertson got the chance to skate alongside Matthews and Nylander.
“Really didn’t want to disrupt anything else too much,” Keefe explained. “It was a good chance to give Nick a chance to be able to play with those guys and if it can help his confidence and his experience a little bit, I thought that would be a good thing. It wasn’t about Nick, frankly, it was just more about making sure we had consistency throughout the rest of the lines that we wanted to maintain.”
Nick Robertson with a shorthanded goal gives Team Matthews a 3-1 lead midway through the first period of #Leafs scrimmage pic.twitter.com/SwTSZlSChC
Robertson scored a shorthanded goal in the scrimmage and was a force on the forecheck, but afterwards Keefe did his best to slow the hype train.
“I know you guys want to make the story about Nick but that’s not the story of the day for me,” the coach said. “Every experience we can get for Nick is a positive one and if something breaks free and really starts to come together than that’s a positive for both he and us, but we’re just really focused on getting our team ready.”
Keefe indicated there will likely be a different look on that line for Sunday’s scrimmage.
Robertson, who scored 55 goals in 46 games with the Peterborough Petes, skated in Toronto’s reserve group in Friday’s practice.
Leafs Ice Chips: With Hyman out, Robertson promoted
Zach Hyman wasn’t on the ice for the Maple Leafs scrimmage on Saturday and as Mark Masters reports, that gave rookie Nick Robertson a chance to skate alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
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During the season pause, Mitch Marner made an appearance on the Connor Carrick Podcast telling his former teammate that “the award that would be really cool to be acknowledged for is the Selke.”
The 2019-20 nominees for the Selke Trophy, given to the league’s top defensive forward, will be unveiled on Monday. Marner was asked how close he feels to being in the conversation.
“No idea,” he said. “At the start of the season you just put goals in your mind to try and do, but at the same time when you’re playing hockey you don’t think about them too much.”
“He tried really hard when he was a bit younger to really grow that area of his game and he’s done an outstanding job,” said defenceman Morgan Rielly. “He understands the importance of it and has worked really hard to improve it and it’s obvious with how he plays in our end. He takes that very seriously.”
As he looks to take another step in that department, Marner has been keeping a close eye on St. Louis Blues centre and reigning Selke winner Ryan O’Reilly.
“I got the chance to play with him at the Worlds and see how professional he is on the ice, at practice and everything like that,” Marner said. “He doesn’t get as much love as he should. He’s a guy that every single night plays his heart out. He plays every aspect of the game right. He plays power play, penalty kill, if you need a goal or need to stop a goal from going in, he’s always on the ice to do any of those things. That’s the guy I really enjoy watching.”
Marner points out that centres are often viewed as the top defensive forwards so in the future he wants to put himself in a position to be trusted to take face-offs while continuing to fine tune his play around the net.
The 23-year-old is also determined to help the Leafs penalty kill get better. Toronto’s unit was absolutely torched by the Boston Bruins in the last two playoffs.
“We got to talk more coming into our zone,” said Marner, who is on Toronto’s top PK unit alongside Hyman. “When get a chance to jump pucks we got to go at people fast, make people feel uncomfortable on the power play and when we do get those opportunities to get outs we got to be talking to each other and figuring the best way out. And also keeping the shifts short and keeping everyone fresh on the ice. The best penalty kill is when you’re fresh and able to go 100 per cent the whole time.”
During the regular season, Toronto’s kill rate was 77.7 per cent, which ranked 21st in the NHL.
Selke-minded Marner is studying O’Reilly’s game
Mitch Marner admits he made it a goal at the start of the season to be in the discussion for the Selke Trophy as one of the top defensive forwards and says he’s learned a lot from last year’s winner Ryan O’Reilly.
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Lines in Leafs scrimmage: BOLD = Participated in main practice session
TEAM MATTHEWS Goals: Nylander (2), Matthews, Malgin, Tavares, Robertson
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.
