Sheldon Keefe on William Nylander: "What we are looking for from him: the consistency... The talent and the ability -- not many players in the world can match that" - Maple Leafs Hot Stove | Canada News Media
Sheldon Keefe on William Nylander: "What we are looking for from him: the consistency… The talent and the ability — not many players in the world can match that" – Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe addressed the media after day three of Phase 3 training camp, touching on the scrimmage format and team selections, William Nylander’s consistency, and Nick Robertson’s performance in camp so far.
Some eyebrows were raised with both of the top two lines being a part of the Matthews group. What are you hoping to accomplish when you came up with those teams? What are you hoping to accomplish with the five scrimmages?
Keefe: Obviously, it’s a little unconventional. Usually, you would take those lines and put one on each team, but this is not a conventional camp or conventional times. We’ve got to adapt to it.
We are trying to get a lot out of these games, and keeping those guys together gives us an opportunity to not only try different things involving special teams, but we can change those lines at any time and use different combinations that we have in mind.
The other part of it is just that we’ve got the Kerfoot line and the Gauthier line, and they’re two lines that really have to work to make life hard on the opposition now with their habits and their detail and how they play. Our top guys have got to get used to playing it against guys that are hard on them. We just thought it was a way to create that environment and have a little bit of competitiveness at the same time.
How did you come up with the scrimmage format and why is it so important?
Keefe: We need to have game action as best we can to be able to really prepare ourselves to play. It is not just structural and systems things for us. There are game habits and things in the flow of the game — how you manage the puck, shift length, line changes — that are really important for us and are areas where we have to grow as a team.
It is not necessarily just things you can practice in a practice environment. We need game reps. We don’t have an exhibition season — we have one exhibition game that is right in front of a playoff series — so we have to give ourselves as many reps as we can. If we are going to do that, it has to be somewhat of a competitive environment.
That is why we set up the teams the way that we did and we created a series in terms of it being a best-of-five, which is course mirrors what we are going to face in the match up against Columbus. We just thought it made sense and we are going with it.
Jack Campbell said you had a video beforehand to get the guys fired up a little bit?
Keefe: We had a little bit of a video to get the guys going. We are playing on the Matthews and Andersen relationship and friendship that they have clearly shown. I thought it was one of the real highlights for me just in terms of our team. You see two guys taking care of each other and hanging out with each other during a tough time. Rather than being alone — certainly in Fred’s case in Toronto — Auston invited him out there. I think it is a really cool thing for our team and we are just kind of playing off of that and adding some competitiveness within this camp.
When you were binging the Maple Leafs over the pause, was there something about William Nylander’s play this season that came to light, be it something he needs to work on, or something that stood out that he needs to work on, or something you want to see more of?
Keefe: The big thing that stands out for William is just his consistency — the consistency he brings in his effort and competitiveness. When he does that, he is the player that he is capable of being. I showed him a number of different clips where he was all over the puck and winning pucks back.
One very underrated thing with William: The way that he wins the puck back in terms of takeaways in the offensive zone. He is right near the top of the league in that regard. That is just him being strong on his stick and being smart and using his skill to win the puck back. There is a whole competitive side to that as well. When he is doing that, it allows him to play with the puck that much more; he is that much more engaged.
That is what we are looking for from him: the consistency. The talent and the ability — not many players in the world can match that. He has that. We just have to see it all the time.
Do you have a theory as to why the consistency isn’t always there?
Keefe: I think it is part of Will’s nature at times to not be as engaged as you’d like him to be. He needs a push. Sometimes it comes from me, but a lot of the time it comes from himself as well because he is a guy that is hard on himself. He recognizes it when you show him the clips. A lot of the times, he doesn’t even need to see the clips. He knows the situations you’re talking about.
Just through the habits and the repetition and the environment around him… The pressure we are trying to put on all of our players to be good all the time… When I say all the time, of course, it doesn’t mean that you are going to be perfect, but it does mean that there is a sense of urgency to everything that you are doing to give yourself a chance to be good more often than not.
Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images
How has he looked this week so far?
Keefe: I think he has looked good — not just this week, but all through Phase 2. He put in a lot of work. Will is a guy who loves to be on the ice as well, so there is no questioning his work ethic and preparation off the ice and in practices or on his own personal time on the ice. He does what he needs to do to get himself prepared. I am not worried about him on that front.
Nick Robertson was saying it is taking him some time to get used to the pace here. What have you seen from him in the three days — specifically today?
Keefe: He looks like a guy who is finding his way. He is not the only one. There are lots of eyes and attention on him, but there are other guys here who are trying to find their way. He is a guy that not only is coming out of the same break and pause everyone else has had, but he is also trying to adjust to a new level, a new league, and a new environment. It is a little bit harder for him in that sense.
He is trying to find his way. There is some time here. Of course, there is probably not as much time as you would like for a young player to adjust and get comfortable, but we are going to give him more time to adapt and see whether he is an option for us as we get going into the playoffs.
Just the fact that he is here, he is an option in that sense, but there are other players competing for that spot and it will sort itself out.
There has been so much hype surrounding Nick. The hype almost seems out of control at times. How well prepared do you think Nick is to handle the hype he is aware of and to channel that into positive energy rather than let it overwhelm him?
Keefe: For sure. That is part of being a talented high-end prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs. That is part of what comes with it, but he has earned it because he has had the season that he had in junior hockey. It is not matched by very many people in history. It’s not just what he showed he is capable of doing, but the results that he had.
He has earned that attention. It is enhanced, like everything else — like having refs at your scrimmage — in Toronto, but he has got to tune that out and just do his work. I am not concerned about him. In the discussions I have had with him, he is an extremely focused individual.
We’ve got to do our part to make him comfortable here and help him with his transition to pro hockey and this environment, but I am not worried about him. He is going to continue to work and adjust himself. It will sort itself out.
The plan had been to have officials today. What happened to that?
Keefe: Apparently, people around the NHL are paying attention to our media reports in Toronto. I think there were some people around the league who perhaps liked the idea that we had referees but didn’t like the idea they didn’t have the same available to them. We had to make an adjustment and we are perfectly fine doing that. Greg Moore has done a fantastic job for us there to keep things moving.
As you prepare to head into the bubble, besides your phone, what is something you have to bring with you?
Keefe: Oh, man. I don’t know. I am a pretty boring guy. Other than my phone, I am probably just going to bring my phone and laptop. I’ll have the electronic trifecta going and that will keep me busy enough.
We are going to be in the bubble, but we are there for a reason and a purpose. As a coach, you are going to be consumed with the task at hand. That is really all the hobbies that I need.
Did you ever end up getting a Netflix account? You took a lot of heat online for not having one.
Keefe: I did eventually. Going through that, my wife did remind me that she created an account for the family that I just never received the password or account to. I did get a chance to explore the Netflix world, and there is a lot going on there. I try not to get too deep into it, but it is an additional tool that might occupy some of my time.
What did you think of Tiger King?
Keefe: That was interesting. I took in one episode to make sure I could be up to speed on what was going on in the world and a lot of the conversations I was having with different people, but there are a lot more interesting things going on than that.
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Patton Kizzire ended a long victory drought Sunday in the Procore Championship, closing with a scrambling 2-under 70 for a tournament-record, five-stroke victory in the FedEx Cup Fall opener at Silverado Country Club.
Kizzire had gone 176 events without a victory after winning tournaments in Mexico and Hawaii in a two-month span in late 2017 and early 2018.
“I’m going to enjoy this win,” Kizzire said. “It’s just so sweet to get through the ups and downs. That’s life. You just got to stay positive. That’s what led me to here, to right now.”
The 38-year-old former Auburn player earned a PGA Tour card for the next two years after entering the event 132nd in the fight to earn a card with a top-125 finish in the standings. He also gets spots in the Masters and PGA Championship and The Sentry at Kapalua.
Kizzire finished at 20-under 268. On Sunday, he repeatedly misfired off the tee for a second consecutive day, but stayed steady with his approach shots and had three birdies, an eagle and three bogeys.
“I knew that it would be difficult not to get ahead of myself with a four-shot lead heading into today,” Kizzire said. “I wrote down in my yard book, ‘I am here, I I am now.’ Kept going back to that. That helped me be disciplined and stay present. That’s what really helped me come out on top.”
David Lipsky was second after a 71.
Patrick Fishburn (71) was third at 14 under. Mackenzie Hughes of Hamilton, Ont. (72), Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont. (71) and Greyson Sigg (72) were another stroke back.
Sahith Theegala, the winner last year, closed with a 72 to tie for fifth at 12-under 276.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., finished tied for seventh at 12 under. He carded a 1 over on his final round. Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., finished tied for 13th at 9 under. He shot a 4 under Sunday. Roger Sloan of Calgary finished tied for 37th at 6 under.
Unlike in 2023 when Theegala was followed by a large gallery on his way to winning, Kizzire and Lipsky played the final round in front of a small crowd at the picturesque course in the heart of the Napa Valley wine country.
For the second straight day, Kizzire had to make up for his erratic tee shots. He missed 11 fairways and hit three drives into bunkers but got out of trouble and limited the damage each time.
Lipsky also had issues off the tee trying to battle winds that had been mostly absent for the first three rounds.
“It was really tough out there,” Lipsky said. “The wind was swirling and it was strong and the greens were so firm. Where they put some of those pins is really tough to get close.”
After Lipsky made birdies on Nos. 1 and 4 to get within two shots, Kizzire responded with an eagle on the par-5 fifth. Kizzire hit his second shot past the green, then holed a soft wedge shot coming back from 50 feet to get to 20 under.
Kizzire bogeyed No. 11 after another errant tee shot, while Lipsky birdied to get within two strokes again. Kizzire then made a birdie save after driving into a greenside bunker on No. 12, and had another birdie on No. 13.
Kizzire was ahead by five strokes after a birdie on No. 15, then missed a short par putt on No. 16. He had a chance to get the stroke back on No. 17, but pushed his putt to the right of the hole and settled for par.
VANCOUVER – As the Major League Soccer season ticks down, Vanni Sartini wants his Vancouver Whitecaps to make a declaration — the team is ready to compete.
“The time of hiding ourselves, I think it’s over,” the coach said after the ‘Caps earned a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
“We need to really say that we are here to try to be at the ball until the end and trying to shoot for the highest position. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to make it, but we have the quality to do it.”
With seven games left on their regular-season schedule, the ‘Caps (13-8-6) sit in fifth spot in the congested Western Conference, just two points out of fourth.
Saturday’s loss officially eliminated the last-place Earthquakes (5-21-2) from post-season action.
Vancouver has been on a hot streak since returning from the Leagues Cup break and is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four outings across all competitions. The team has not allowed a goal in those matches.
“It’s the fact that we play really well,” Sartini said of the clean sheets. “We have the ball a lot, we finish our attack most of the time in their box. So it’s really hard for the other team to attack us. And then when they attack us, in the rare times that they arrive in the final third, we’re very solid.”
Recent additions have bolstered the team’s ranks, including the club’s newest designated player, Stuart Armstrong. The 32-year-old Scottish midfielder scored his first MLS goal Saturday.
Three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Alessandro Schopf, Armstrong gave Vancouver a two-goal cushion in the 87th minute.
Midfielder Pedro Vite dished a short pass to ‘Caps captain Ryan Gauld, who tapped it toward Armstrong. The former Southampton FC player then blasted a shot into the top of the net for his first strike in a Whitecaps’ jersey.
He was mobbed by teammates in the corner of the field.
“I think everyone was happy. Also for the first goal, but also that it was an important three points,” said Armstrong, who signed with the ‘Caps on Sept. 3.
“It kind of felt a little bit like last week, when we had a lot of chances and we didn’t get the three points. So today, I think everyone was just relieved to have that two-goal cushion.”
Vancouver was the dominant team from the outset Saturday and did not relent, outshooting the visitors 19-5 and controlling 54.1 per cent of possession.
Fafa Picault also found the back of the net for Vancouver, while Gauld contributed a pair of assists.
Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped both shots he faced to collect his seventh clean sheet of the year, while Daniel made nine saves for the Quakes.
Gauld and Picault teamed up in the 22nd minute when Gauld curled a cross in and the Haitian striker headed it down toward the net, only to see Daniel catch a piece of the shot with his forearm and redirect it out of harm’s way.
The duo connected again in the 35th minute on a Vancouver corner. Gauld swung a ball in and Picault jumped up from the pack to send a glancing header in past Daniel for his ninth MLS goal of the season.
San Jose briefly appeared to level the score in the 68th minute when an unmarked Ousseni Bouda collected the ball, froze Takaoka and tapped a shot into the Vancouver net. An official quickly raised the offside flag and waved off the tally.
Daniel kept San Jose’s deficit to a single goal with a pair of solid stops in the 82nd minute.
First, the Brazilian ‘keeper dove sideways on his line to tip away a bomb from Alessandro Schopf. He was tested again on the ensuing corner and jumped up to send a header from Picault over the crossbar.
“I think we created a lot of chances again,” Gauld said.
“We probably should have put the game out of their reach sooner. But we’d be more worried if we weren’t creating the chances. Three clean sheets in a row in the league, I think it’s a big thing for us. And it gives us a good platform to go forward.”
NOTES
Vancouver played without leading scorer Brian White for a third consecutive game as the American striker works his way back from a concussion. … Gauld’s second assist marked his 15th goal contribution (six goals, nine assists) in his last 15 Whitecaps games across all competitions. … An announced crowd of 21,309 took in the game at B.C. Place.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps kick off a two-game road swing Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo. The Earthquakes host the Seattle Sounders the same night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
MILAN (AP) — Bologna’s preparations for its Champions League debut are not going well though it managed to spoil Como’s first Serie A home match in 21 years on Saturday.
Bologna came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw to gather three points from its opening four matches.
Bologna hosts Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Its only other appearance in Europe’s top competition was in 1964 in the preliminary round of the old European Cup.
AC Milan is also winless as it prepares for a Tuesday Champions League match against Liverpool. The Rossoneri hosted promoted Venezia later. Juventus drew at Empoli 0-0.
Como made a great start in the fifth minute when Patrick Cutrone attempted to roll the ball across the six-yard box but it took a huge deflection off Bologna defender Nicolò Casale for an own goal.
Bologna thought it was gifted a way back into the match on the stroke of halftime when referee Marco Piccinini signalled for a penalty following an Alberto Moreno handball, but he revoked his decision and instead gave a free kick because the handball was just outside the area.
Bologna improved after the break but found itself further behind when Cutrone raced onto a through ball and cut inside past a defender and fired into the far bottom corner.
Tommaso Pobega hit the post for Bologna, which finally pulled one back in the 76th through substitute Santiago Castro.
Another substitute helped the visitors snatch a point when Samuel Iling-Junior curled a fine strike into the top left corner in stoppage time.
Unbeaten sides
Juventus, and more surprisingly Empoli, are among six unbeaten sides.
Empoli held Monza and Bologna to draws either side of a shock 2-1 win at Roma. Juventus’ perfect start to the season was ruined by Roma in a goalless draw before the international break.
On Saturday, there were few clearcut chances in Empoli although home goalkeeper Devis Vásquez made spectacular saves to fingertip out a Federico Gatti header and deny Dusan Vlahovic in a one on one with the Juventus forward.
Empoli had a good opportunity in the 73rd minute following an Alberto Grassi one-two with Pietro Pellegri but the finish was straight at Mattia Perin.
The host could have won it right at the death but Gatti flew in with a great sliding block to keep out Emanuel Gyasi’s close-range effort.
Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.
