Next wave of Leafs leadership is here

TORONTO — When Morgan Rielly looks around the Toronto Maple Leafs’ locker-room, the feeling hits him that something — or someone — is missing.

There is no Tyler Bozak. There is no James van Riemsdyk. There is no Leo Komarov. Three players who predated his arrival as a full-time Maple Leaf are gone.

“It’s different, and I don’t think it gets talked about enough,” said Rielly. “Those guys had great careers as Maple Leafs, and they were a big part of our team the past couple of years.

“When you look at the roster now, it looks different without those names on it. We have to get used to it. As players, we have to take those positions and run with them.”

It’s now Rielly, Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner — players once regarded as the future — who are the longest-serving Maple Leafs.

“I’ve worked hard to get here,” said Kadri. “There have been lots of great people in hockey who helped me get to this point.

“I feel privileged to still be here and contribute and make an impact at a high level.”

A Leaf for nine seasons, Bozak was 22nd on the Leafs’ all-time games played list (594) and 24th on the franchise’s all-time points list (364).

A Leaf for six seasons, van Riemsdyk was named to the list of 100 best players of the franchise’s first century.

A 2006 draft pick, Komarov gave the Leafs his heart and soul for five seasons.

They’ve all moved on: Bozak to St. Louis, van Riemsdyk back to Philadelphia, Komarov to the New York Islanders.

“It’s very weird,” said Kadri. “Friendships are bigger than hockey. I’m always going to keep in touch with those guys. It’s odd to see them in different jerseys, but that’s how it is.”

In some ways, Bozak, van Riemsdyk and Komarov will be forever linked to an era in which the Leafs continued to disappoint. But they were kept while others — notably Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf — were sent packing. To bigger and better things for Kessel, as it turns out, with his name engraved on the Stanley Cup twice.

But Bozak, van Riemsdyk and Komarov played their part in the team’s renaissance.

“Bozak and Leo and JVR were big parts of our team and did it right and worked hard,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock. “Things change in pro sports. Those guys (Rielly, Kadri and Gardiner) are all-in now. They know the difference in the way we work compared to what we used to work like, the structure in our game, how we prepare.

“All the things we do are way different.”

Kadri has shed his partying reputation that once had him suspended by the team for missing practice. He’s now one of the veterans the young players sometimes rely on.

“I’m not sure you can tell them anything anymore,” said Kadri. “But I try to pass on advice, particularly if things aren’t going well. It can be frustrating if you’re a scorer and it’s not going so well. They’re quick learners. “I’m always here for advice.” Gardiner — who has a onegame advantage over Kadri for most regular season games played in a Leafs jersey (489-488) — is playing out the final year of his contract and will be a free agent in July. Heading into his sixth season, Rielly is at 388 games — all for the Leafs.

“The longer I’ve been here, the more impressive that stat has become in my mind,” Rielly said.