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Toronto Maple Leafs’ William Nylander showcases his ‘Willy Styles’ persona on

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Before the Leafs opened training camp a few guys – Joe Thornton, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Rasmus Sandin and Mac Hollowell – returned to Canada and quarantined together in the same house. And it was there that the ‘Willy Styles’ nickname was born.

“It comes from Jumbo when we were in a quarantine house together,” Nylander revealed. “He started calling me that so I put that on my sticks now.”

What motivated the moniker from Thornton?

“You know what, you’ll have to ask him,” Nylander said with a smile. “I don’t know.”

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Nylander certainly isn’t afraid to make a splash with his fashion choices off the ice.

“It’s different, but it suits his personality,” said even-keeled captain John Tavares. “Me and him always joke about how we’re very opposite of each other, but we get along really well. People would see me as being a lot more reserved, kind of a little bit quieter, and Willy’s just a fun, outgoing guy and obviously likes to be a little bit different and showcase that, which is fantastic. It’s part of who he is and what makes him a great person, a great teammate, a great player so, obviously, we love having him and those styles.”

Nylander also possesses style on the ice and is on a hot streak of late with four goals in three games. He scored a backhand beauty over the shoulder of Mikko Koskinen moments after a neutral-zone draw on Monday night.

“He has that elite skill and you know when he gets his chances the majority of the time they’re going to go in,” said Leafs defenceman Justin Holl. “Some guys just know how to score and he’s one of them.”

And while Nylander recently admitted to underperforming at times this season, there’s no denying how valuable he is to a Leafs team that has won a couple games this week without leading goal scorer Auston Matthews in the lineup.

“He’s very important,” said head coach Sheldon Keefe, who hasn’t hesitated to give Nylander a metaphorical kick when necessary. “He has an ability to make the difference in a game, because in any shift and any time he can make a difference offensively. He can do the hardest thing to do in our game, which is to produce offence and that makes him extremely valuable to our team.”

But Nylander appears to have a crimp in his style right now. He was in discomfort on the bench after scoring in the first period on Monday and was conferring with head athletic therapist Paul Ayotte. A little later, during a commercial break, Nylander was doing a lot of stretching.

Nylander sat out Tuesday’s practice.

“Just a maintenance day for him,” said Keefe. “He’s had something that he’s been managing and playing through here and just wanted to give him the day to let that settle down.”

Nic Petan skated as a placeholder in Nylander’s spot on the second line.

Nylander heating up on the ice and living up to his new ‘Willy Styles’ nickname

The suddenly red-hot William Nylander says he isn’t exactly sure why Joe Thornton gave him the nickname ‘Willy Styles’, but when one of the greatest playmakers of all-time passes you a nickname, you run with it. Mark Masters delves deeper into Nylander’s new nickname in the Masters Minute.

Matthews practised in his usual spot on the top line skating between Thornton and Mitch Marner.

“It’s feeling a lot better,” the 23-year-old centre said. “It’s been progressing and each day I’ve been on the ice, the last two, three days, it’s felt better and better. [I’ve] been able to be more comfortable out there with the way I want to play and the way I want to handle the puck and stuff like that. So, hopefully it just continues to heal, continues to get better and we’ll see how it is tomorrow. I’d love to get back in a game here.”

Matthews missed one game with a wrist injury earlier this season. He hurt the wrist again last Wednesday against the Flames.

“We’re just waiting, really, for the strength to come back,” Keefe said on Monday night. “It’s a little bit of a different situation that he’s dealing with than what it was previously. That was just kind of a nagging thing. This is a little bit of a different situation.”

With the Leafs sitting comfortably in first place, there’s certainly no rush to return. The top priority is ensuring Matthews will be at his best when the most important games are played.

“I want to feel good enough to play and feel like I can contribute and play my game, but not hinder my ability and long-term [prospects]  because, in the end, we’re playing for more than just the regular season,” Matthews said. “That’s a decision I’ll make and the training staff will discuss, but I don’t think we’re really going to over-complicate it.”

Matthews’ wrist ‘progressing’; Could play next game against Oilers

Auston Matthews missed the Maple Leafs last two games with a wrist injury sustained on a hit from Rasmus Andersson against the Flames. He spoke to the media today about how his injury is progressing, and how well the team has been able to play in his absence.

Frederik Andersen practised again on Tuesday as the goalie works his way back from a lower-body injury sustained on Feb. 20. Jack Campbell took the ice after practice wrapped up.

“Andersen had a positive day today and that’s a great thing for us,” Keefe said. “We’ll have to see how he is tomorrow and make a determination from there. Campbell skated, but he’s not going to be available.”

Campbell re-aggravated a leg injury, initially suffered on Jan. 24, during Saturday’s game. He still managed to post a shutout against the high-octane Oilers. Third stringer Michael Hutchinson followed that up with another clean sheet on Monday.

“I just wanted to open it up with comments about our goalies,” alternate captain Morgan Rielly said before a question could be asked during his media session following Monday’s game. “The past two nights they’ve been outstanding and they don’t get enough credit. Soup and Hutchy have been outstanding for us all year and two games in a row against a good team has been just a huge boost to our team. That’s all I wanted to say.”

Leafs Ice Chips: Andersen getting close; maintenance day for Nylander

Frederik Andersen is getting close to returning from a lower-body injury. “Andersen had a positive day today and that’s a great thing for us,” said coach Sheldon Keefe. “We’ll have to see how he is tomorrow and make a determination from there.” William Nylander missed the workout. “Just a maintenance day for him,” said Keefe. “He’s had something that he’s been managing and playing through.”

The Leafs made life easier on their goalies by limiting Edmonton’s time and space in the offensive zone.

“If you’re playing without Auston Matthews you’re essentially taking a goal out of your lineup,” said Keefe, “and then you have to make sure you’re that much better defensively and you don’t give up anything so I think that’s been our mindset … It really forces you to fall back on your structure, play as a team, get guys to step up at key moments, all those kind of things.”

NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid has been held without a point in consecutive games for the first time this season.

“They’re playing solid,” the Oilers captain said. “Give them a lot of credit. They’ve had some good goaltending. They’re defending well. They’re surrounding pucks well so they’re making it hard on us … They’re obviously missing some key pieces, but it speaks to their depth, their coaching and the players themselves. They’ve played well. I don’t know what else you want me to say.”

Since Day 1 of camp, Keefe has made improving the team’s overall defensive play a priority. They’ve been looking to cut down rush chances against and prevent other teams from hemming them in their own zone for long stretches.

“The defensive foundation and mindset is not a one-man thing,” said Keefe. “It’s not relying on a few players. That’s a team mindset. That’s playing in groups of five and insulating each other. When one man makes a mistake you got the numerical advantages and the pressure to make up for it … we’re getting to the point here now where we’re proving that we’re a team that can defend well.”

The Oilers are averaging 3.29 goals per game (fifth in the NHL) this season, but couldn’t get a puck past Toronto’s back-up goalies and frustration with evident.

McDavid took a cross-checking penalty on Holl on Monday.

Alex Chiasson cross-checked Jimmy Vesey in the neck after the buzzer in the third period and was assessed a one-game suspension.

“They’re probably trying to look for a spark so it’s all very understandable and it’s part of the game and we’re looking to be physical right back,” said Holl.

Josh Archibald and Travis Dermott dropped the gloves in the last minute of the game, but it turned into more of a wresting match. After practice ended on Tuesday, Dermott got some fighting tips from veteran defenceman Zach Bogosian.

Keefe likes how his team has handled things on the few occasions that things have gotten heated this season.

“Our guys aren’t fazed by it,” the coach said. “I think that’s an important thing. We’ve added some extra experience to our team. I think that makes a difference. Guys are comfortable no matter which way the game goes.”

The line of Zach Hyman, Pierre Engvall and Ilya Mikheyev has shown so much potential in Edmonton that nicknames for the unit are making the rounds. Some like the HEM Line because they are good at keeping the opposition trapped in their own end. Some prefer the ZIP Line, because they bring so much speed and energy.

You can certainly call them effective.

“They’re both so big and strong and fast,” Hyman said of the 6-foot-5 Engvall and 6-foot-3 Mikheyev. “​I think we’re able to put pressure on the opposing team’s D and break out of our zone quick. They’ve been really fun to play with. I feel like we have the puck a lot because we can all skate and we can all move up and down the ice really well. We’re trying to use their speed as much as possible and put the puck in position for both those guys to skate onto it and once we’re in the zone just control some O-zone time.”

The line has produced a goal in both games in Edmonton with Hyman scoring both.

 

Source:- TSN

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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.

___

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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