It seems like an annual tradition at this point that we reach the end of the first month of the NHL season with swaths of the media and fan base questioning the contents of this Maple Leafs team’s character.
The Leafs have been pilloried in media over the last 24 hours for their lack of a response to Brad Marchand injuring Timothy Liljegren in Boston on Thursday night, and today their head coach came out and acknowledged disappointment in the lack of a physical pushback. Tyler Bertuzzi was seen laughing on the bench at Marchand’s exchange with Ryan Reaves, and the top line (on the ice at the time) showed zero pulse. On the next shift with Marchand still on the ice, Keefe didn’t send out Reaves, who never held any Bruin to account for the rest of the game.
With all of that in the background, it is important that the Leafs come out tonight on home ice, play with some passion, and take care of business against the 5-6-0 Sabres, who are playing in the second half of a back-to-back. Start on time, play hard, and win a hockey game.
In terms of lineup notes, Joseph Woll returns to the crease, and Max Lajoie and Simon Benoit have been recalled during Liljegren’s absence (now on LTIR due to a high-ankle sprain), with Jake McCabe not quite ready to return and Conor Timmins still a ways away. Lajoie, who has 70 games of NHL experience but most of it came back in 2018-19 with the Senators, will play on the right side of William Lagesson tonight as John Klingberg moves up onto Mark Giordano’s pairing.
Gametime: 7 p.m. / Network: Sportsnet (HNIC)
Head-to-Head Stats: Maple Leafs vs. Sabres
Game Day Quotes
Sheldon Keefe on the lack of response to Brad Marchand after the Liljegren injury in Boston:
I hated everything about it. I’ve addressed it.
In the moment, some of the guys don’t quite know what exactly has transpired. Sometimes it is hard to compute.
It is a game day here, and we are preparing for Buffalo. I am not going to get into it too much. It’s not what we want to be about. At times, we have responded very well in those situations in the past. It is about consistency, though.
We’ve addressed it.
Ryan Reaves on the lack of a response to the Marchand-Liljegren incident and whether it was due to the players maybe not seeing it in real-time:
We talked about it. We addressed it in the room. It will be changed moving forward.
[Not knowing what happened] might have been part of it. Still, when he skates by the bench, there could probably be a little more response there. Again, we talked about it. We will respond accordingly.
Reaves on his message to Marchand when they were jawing by the bench:
First of all, get away from the bench. Second of all, I guess he was lucky I wasn’t out on the ice with him. Fortunately, they had last change, so I didn’t get any shifts against him. It’s hockey.
Tyler Bertuzzi on laughing on the bench as Marchand skated by:
People can perceive that however they want. I am not going to explain myself.
Bertuzzi on his demotion down the lineup in Boston:
Just wasn’t good enough. Have to be better. No excuses.
John Tavares on the lack of response to Marchand in Boston and the team’s pledge to be better in those moments:
No doubt, we have a tight group in here. We talked about having a strong brotherhood during instances like that and how we have to stick together… No doubt, we discuss all the areas we want to be better in. That situation is one.
Tavares on coping with a collection of injuries on defense:
We learned a lot last year when we had a lot of guys injured on the backend as well early in the season. It is just about playing a really good, strong team game with everyone supporting one another as a five-man unit. It [emphasizes] the importance of the team game and the structure within that, allowing them to build confidence, feel connected throughout the group, and the game comes easier that way when we are all playing at a high level and playing connected.
Keefe on the keys to surviving multiple injuries on the blue line:
Play better as a team, play harder as a team, and play tighter as a team. We went through this exact thing last season. It ended up kind of galvanizing our group. We had an unbelievable November. May as well do the same thing.
Keefe on Max Lajoie:
He moves pucks well. He has played in the league before. He and Lagesson spent some time together with the Marlies and a lot of time together throughout camp.
He and Lagesson both are guys who have played in the league before. That is positive. Lagesson has done a really good job for us coming in. We expect the same from Lajoie.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#19 Calle Jarnkrok – #34 Auston Matthews – #16 Mitch Marner
#59 Tyler Bertuzzi – #91 John Tavares – #88 William Nylander
#23 Matthew Knies – #64 David Kampf – #11 Max Domi
#18 Noah Gregor – #29 Pontus Holmberg – #75 Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
#44 Morgan Rielly – #78 TJ Brodie
#55 Mark Giordano – #3 John Klingberg
#85 William Lagesson – #48 Max Lajoie
Goaltenders
Starter: #60 Joseph Woll
#35 Ilya Samsonov
Extra: Simon Benoit Injured: Conor Timmins, Jake McCabe, Timothy Liljegren
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lines
Forwards
#12 Jordan Greenway – #72 Tage Thompson – #89 Alex Tuch
#53 Jeff Skinner – #37 Casey Mittelstadt – #77 John Jason Peterka
#13 Luke Rousek – #24 Dylan Cozens – Brandon Biro
#28 Zemgus Girgensons – #19 Peyton Krebs – #21 Kyle Okposo
Defensemen
#26 Rasmus Dahlin – #10 Henri Jokiharju
#25 Owen Power – #75 Connor Clifton
#78 Jacob Bryson – #6 Erik Johnson
Goaltenders
Starter: #27 Devon Levi
#1 Ukko-Pekka Luukonen
Out: Jack Quinn, Eric Comrie, Zach Benson, Matthew Savoie, Mattias Samuelsson
Vancouver Canucks winger Dakota Joshua is set to make his season debut Thursday after missing time for cancer treatment.
Head coach Rick Tocchet says Joshua will slot into the lineup Thursday when Vancouver (8-3-3) hosts the New York Islanders.
The 28-year-old from Dearborn, Mich., was diagnosed with testicular cancer this summer and underwent surgery in early September.
He spoke earlier this month about his recovery, saying it had been “very hard to go through” and that he was thankful for support from his friends, family, teammates and fans.
“That was a scary time but I am very thankful and just happy to be in this position still and be able to go out there and play,,” Joshua said following Thursday’s morning skate.
The cancer diagnosis followed a career season where Joshua contributed 18 goals and 14 assists across 63 regular-season games, then added four goals and four assists in the playoffs.
Now, he’s ready to focus on contributing again.
“I expect to be good, I don’t expect a grace period. I’ve been putting the work in so I expect to come out there and make an impact as soon as possible,” he said.
“I don’t know if it’s going to be perfect right from the get-go, but it’s about putting your best foot forward and working your way to a point of perfection.”
The six-foot-three, 206-pound Joshua signed a four-year, US$13-million contract extension at the end of June.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2024.
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.
