TORONTO — How you frame Nick Robertson’s situation at this bonus Toronto Maple Leafs training camp is key. And if you’re only viewing his performance through the lens of whether he’ll play games during the NHL restart, you may be missing the point.
It’s already abundantly clear head coach Sheldon Keefe has serious reservations about introducing an 18-year-old to his lineup at this juncture.
He designed this two-week sprint towards the playoffs around dialling in the details to battle Columbus and has only once put Robertson in a position that made him look like a potential option. That it came alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander for a Saturday practice and scrimmage was eye-emoji notable … at least until we got the rationale behind the decision.
“It wasn’t about Nick, frankly,” said Keefe. “It was just more about making sure we had consistency throughout the rest of the lines that we wanted to maintain.”
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Robertson subbed in for Zach Hyman, deemed unfit to practice after blocking a shot Friday, and allowed the bottom-six to be kept intact. That’s not a luxury the team had often before the pause and Keefe is hoping to establish some continuity for groups centred by Alexander Kerfoot and Frederik Gauthier with a best-of-five drawing near.
What the coach is not looking to do, evidently, is experiment. He also doesn’t appear too concerned with carving out a spot for Robertson, which is perfectly understandable given how much this experience is likely to pay off for the organization’s top prospect regardless.
Consider where Robertson was in March: Tearing it up in Peterborough and carpet-bombing the Leafs nutritionist and strength coaches with texts looking for information and feedback. Now, even with Phase 3 restrictions in place, he’s drawing on the organization’s vast resources directly, sitting down for 1-on-1 meetings with Keefe and gaining the confidence you get from making plays against bonafide NHL stars during a scrimmage.
He is building a database of proof that he belongs every time he steals the puck from Jason Spezza and scores on a short-handed breakaway, or pressures Justin Holl into a turnover before setting up Matthews for a goal — his two most noteworthy moments from Saturday’s scrimmage.
However, you also get the feeling he’s still navigating the gap from where he’s been to where he’d like to go. The 53rd overall pick from 2019 actually seems more realistic about his chances of making an immediate impact in the Leafs lineup than most of us covering this camp, acknowledging that his relentless effort hasn’t produced the normal number of puck touches he’d like in drills conducted at a NHL pace alongside NHL stars.
“I think I’m going to catch on here pretty quick,” Robertson said earlier this week. “It’s good to be exposed to this now in July whereas the next training camp — whenever that is — I’ll be ready for sure.”
The dynamics around potentially throwing him into playoff games are especially unique considering he didn’t even see exhibition action during his first NHL camp in September. In fact, Robertson barely had time to unpack before being sent back from St. John’s after a handful of practices.
Teams always wrestle with the idea of whether they’re putting a prized prospect in a position to succeed when weighing these decisions.
On one hand, what is there to lose? Robertson is brimming with upside and can be somewhat insulated as, say, the left-winger on the third line. But on the other, every defensive mistake is magnified during the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Leafs are preparing for a tight, physical series against the battle-tested Blue Jackets.
That’s why Keefe seems to be focused on keeping Robertson as a “break glass in case of emergency” option. Letting him get a taste of what’s to come, but only in manageable bites. One day he’ll skate with the reserves — lingering on the ice longer than the other 33 Maple Leafs in camp on Friday afternoon — and the next he’ll see some fill-in reps with the top line.
On Sunday, we’ve already been told he’s likely to be shifted elsewhere in the rotation.
“Every experience we can get for Nick is a positive one for him and if something breaks free and really starts to come together then that’s a positive for both he and us,” said Keefe. “But we’re really working and focusing on getting our team ready.”
Perspective is important here.
Robertson won’t turn 19 until Sept. 11, and is younger now than Matthews, Marner and Nylander were when they made their NHL debuts.
He is also eight inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than Pierre Engvall, one of the players he could theoretically elbow out of the lineup. But Engvall has already earned Keefe’s trust while playing for him for three years and winning a Calder Cup together in 2018.
Sure, Robertson is much more likely to make good on a scoring chance, but with so much focus in this camp on defensive responsibility that seems like an area where the Leafs are inclined to sacrifice some skill.
Any number of variables could move up the timetable, starting with illness and/or injury.
We don’t have any idea how long Hyman might be out and there was a scary moment in Saturday’s scrimmage when Nylander crashed into the boards at high speed and was shaken up as he returned to the bench. He stayed in the game, but it was a loud reminder about what can happen even during intra-squad competitions.
But a fully healthy Leafs team doesn’t yet include No. 89 in the lineup and that’s OK. The unexpected circumstances brought on by a pandemic has already given him five weeks of small-group workouts in the Leafs facility and this extra training camp, and that should pay dividends for Toronto even if they’re not immediate.
“Nick is a great player with great potential and a great future ahead,” said Keefe. “We’re extremely excited about him but there’s no timeline for him. This is all part of the plan and part of the process.
“We’re fortunate to have this event and to have him a part of it because we think we’re shortening the runway for him.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
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.
