Moore not taking anything for granted with Leafs
TORONTO, Ont. - Trevor Moore rolled his eyes at the first suggestion of him having job security with the Leafs.
“The second you think your job is secure is the second it’s taken,” warned Moore, perhaps reminding himself of that credo by wearing his No. 9 helmet with the Marlies during Leafs summer skates and not his usual 42. “I’m coming in with the same mentality: I’m hungry, I want to be here and do any kind of role they need me to.”
Moore, now 24, was an NCAA free agent who earned a two-year deal at $775,000 US to alleviate the Leafs salary crunch. He is projected by some to get as high as third line wing this year or better if the injured Zach Hyman can’t start the season or Mitch Marner is absent because of his contract issue.
Moore, initially called up last season to take the injured Auston Matthews’ roster spot, had eight points in 25 games in various bottom six forward situations and was in every playoff game. He even received some praiseworthy quotes from hard-to-please head coach Mike Babcock.
“From my game to the playoffs, I felt much more confident I could play on that level,” Moore added. “I want to be more explosive out of the corners and things like that. But the game plan is still the same, grind away, win some battles. You don’t want to see teammates get hurt, but it breeds opportunity for guys like us. You have to go right from the start because that might be your best opportunity.”
NIC OF TIME
This past July 24 was surely a dark day for Nic Petan.
Already on the fringe of Toronto’s roster and not utilized in the playoffs, Petan heard of general manager Kyle Dubas adding five budget-price forwards to the Leafs roster in Garrett Wilson, Pontus Aberg, Nick Shore, Tyler Gaudet and Kalle Kossila, on top of Jason Spezza earlier in the month. They came in a variety of sizes and one- or two-way contracts that will further challenge the 5-foot-10 Petan.
He scored once in his five games as a fourth-liner after a trade deadline deal with Winnipeg for Par Lindholm and played just 18 combined contests with both teams.
“I have full confidence that if I get the opportunity to play my game and do what I do, I can produce and hop in the lineup wherever,” Petan said. “I really have nothing to lose here.”
As the Leafs lost in seven games to Boston in the first round, Petan was being bagskated with the other healthy scratches.
“It was tough, but understandable because I’d come in late,” he said. “As an outside guy, you want to think you could have changed things, but that’s hard to do.”
Petan said he used that down time wisely, getting to know the Leafs’ sports science team and all the development tools available to hone his game.
“Speed and skill is what I’ve always worked on. Explosiveness and power is what I’ve done this summer. I feel comfortable in my frame.”
Peta, who is from Delta, B.C., also organized a home province golf tournament for mental health awareness that Leafs mates Morgan Rielly and Alex Kerfoot attended.