National Post (National Edition)
ENTER TAVARES... AND ‘YEAH, HE’S GOOD’
‘WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A FUN YEAR’: $77-MILLION MAN FINDING A SNUG FIT
Among all the wideeyed kids in the stands watching John Tavares’s first fullteam skate with the Toronto Maple Leafs, perhaps the most excited was the sixfoot-one, ruddy-haired one wearing the coach’s jacket.
Mike Babcock, reduced to observer status until NHL training camps officially open next month, stood on the deck of the Mastercard Centre Wednesday chatting with some hockey school rink rats, all eyes peeled for No. 91.
The $77-million man’s initial scrimmage during the club’s informal summer was a hit.
“Who was that?” Zach Hyman said jokingly afterward when reporters asked about the highly anticipated appearance. “A new guy?”
Tavares was joined by another of the “big three” centres, Nazem Kadri, as well as new Russian defenceman Igor Ozhiganov. None of the trio, part of the largest group of Leafs to assemble this month, spoke to reporters.
Tavares was all in for practice drills, then a fast-paced game that included forwards Kadri, Hyman, Josh Leivo, Connor Brown and Josh Jooris. Left-winger Hyman is projected as Tavares’s camp linemate with Mitch Marner on the right.
“It was great. It’s just pickup hockey, so you can’t really go off anything here, but you can see what guys can do.”
Tavares intercepted two passes on his first shift and later scored on farmhand goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo.
“Yeah, he’s good,” Kaskisuo said with a laugh. “He owned the puck out there.”
Hyman has heard about Babcock’s rough sketches for all of Toronto’s line combos: removing him from Auston Matthews’ side, inserting Patrick Marleau and keeping William Nylander on the right. The third line — just a projection now — would revolve around Kadri centring Brown with a number of left-wing candidates that include Andreas Johnsson, who finished with the Leafs last spring after a call-up from the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies.
“Any time September hits, everyone’s excited to know who they are playing with,” Hyman said. “Things will obviously change quickly in camp (the final exhibition games might be the first time any of Babcock’s lineup ideas are actually put to the test). But you’re excited to get out there and compete. Once the coaches are there and you get the fans out, that’s when you really get the feel the season is starting.”
Hyman, who has made his career to date on relentless puck pursuit for his centres, said he won’t alter that approach if Tavares is his regular middleman.
“You go out there and do what you’re good at, try to add elements to your game. Every year you learn more about the league, more about what you can do to get better.
“I think it’s the coach’s job to figure out (lines), who you complement and who can complement you. You don’t worry about that stuff, just go out there and play the game. That’s what got you here.”
Tavares showed a serious game face all morning, but Leivo saw some levity.
“He’s fun to watch, but fun to be out on the ice with. He’s creating a lot,” he said.
“He had a couple of weeks off (after being married in July), so he’s looking to get back into things, but he’s always looking great.
“I think it’s going to be a huge boost. It can’t be any (less offence) than what we had last year (270 goals, second most in the conference). We’re going to have a fun year.”
Hyman has chatted with Tavares a couple of times this summer.
“He’s easy to talk to and he’ll fit in really well with our group. He’s really strong on the puck and makes plays. It will be exciting to have him in camp and see him do all that stuff. It’s coming down to (September) now. Over the next few weeks, more guys will filter back in and we’re ready.”
Ozhiganov, the 25-yearold from the KHL’S Moscow CSKA, signed an entry level contract and is getting immersed in North American life with the smaller rink and taking English classes. Judging by the way fellow defencemen such as Travis Dermott were helping explain the drills Wednesday, he’s a fast learner.
“I sat down and spoke to him a good 30 minutes the other day,” Hyman said. “When Nikita Soshnikov came over, he spoke little or zero English and Ozzie already speaks more English than he did. He’ll pick it up pretty quickly, he knows the basics.
“Hockey talk is (universal) and the thing about it nowadays is you have so much video. So if you can’t communicate, you can show him the right way and then he can visualize. We’ll also have Nikita Zaitsev coming in soon to translate if there are some words he doesn’t get.”