Leafs ready for all- star break
When the Maple Leafs return from a five- day NHL all- star break, they’ll have 31 games remaining to clinch a playoff spot and prep for what they hope is an extended April and May.
Here’s a look at what some key people will be up to the next few days.
Coach Mike Babcock
He’ll get some family time to watch son Michael play at Merrimack College, but the play of his team in back- to- back road wins at Chicago and Dallas gave him plenty to ponder when he gets a pad and paper out.
Though not quite ready to admit it was time to change or reduce warhorse Leo Komarov’s role and get Mitch Marner a higher profile to help the slumping Nazem Kadri, there was obvious chemistry between Marner and Kadri Thursday in Dallas, inspiring secondary scoring.
“Obviously, they played good, I saw that too,” Babcock said. “We’ll just do what we did a bit here tonight. We had played ( Auston Matthews) and Mitch together a bunch of times, whether that be 4- on- 4 or whatever and thought it was OK. Naz was starting to come around anyway ( from a points slump) and getting Mitch on that line gives us a different look. With Leo there we can put him in on the defensive zone faceoffs and use him all over, so that was positive too.”
Babcock also saw Kasperi Kapanen join the fourth line and give it the dash it lacks when Komarov is on the right side and Matt Martin’s in the lineup, though it has meant sacrificing Martin’s muscle the past couple of games. Dominic Moore is also a faster centre than the demoted Frederik Gauthier.
“I thought Kapanen gave us four lines with good speed,” Babcock said. “The great thing is that we have a break and a lot of time to think about that.”
Auston Matthews
Toronto’s leading points producer added his 22nd goal in Dallas and heads to Tampa Bay as the club’s sole representative at the all- star game for the second straight year .
“The first time there, you’re kind of nervous, you don’t really know anybody,” Matthews said. “( Now) you know how it works and I’ll be able to enjoy it a little bit more. My parents are going and I’ll have a chance to kick back a little more.”
He’s not sure what skills event he’ll be in for Saturday’s contest prior to the big event.
Babcock says just hanging with players such as Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and a cast with fellow young guns Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will be a benefit to Matthews.
“You earn the right to go there and that’s a real positive for him,” Babcock said. “He’s early in the growth of his game and he wants to be a star, a leader of a team, a 200foot player. Being around the best helps you become the best.”
Ron Hainsey
The Leafs have got their money’s worth from the 37- year- old the past week when Morgan Rielly joined Nikita Zaitsev on the injured list. Hainsey played a game- high 25: 25 in Dallas, but speaking for the over30 crowd on the club, he’s already dreading the return to work on Monday afternoon.
“Coming back from a five- day break with a 30- minute practice at my stage of life is not the greatest set- up,” a droll Hainsey said. “It would probably be easier if you were younger, but I’ll take it. Loosening back up to not kill myself when I go back out there is probably the biggest one, trying to keep up with someone who is 13 years younger coming off a break.”
That said, Hainsey noted the longest Leaf trips are done and only one more road back- to- back is on the horizon.
“I prefer the condensed nature of the schedule, where you are playing every other day for the most part. Our schedule is certainly set up a lot more favourably the last two months.”
Nazem Kadri
Speaking of players who needed some offensive karma, Kadri endured 12 games of being shut out as team fortunes sagged in the standings and he also missed two games with injury. But he now has four points the past three games with two goals Thursday, one where he was trying to pass cross ice to Marner and had the puck strike two Stars and go in.
“I’ve played solid ( defensive) hockey and you know things are going to turn for you,” said Kadri, whose line had two tough road assignments this week covering Jonathan Toews and Tyler Seguin.
“It’s coming together ( with Marner) just great,” Kadri said after the Dallas game. “For me, it’s finding the open spots. I can become more of a shooter because Mitchy controls the game. When the puck’s on his stick his head is always up, looking for someone to pass to. My job is to get in open areas and you saw tonight, he finds you.”