Wingers told to work on hang time
Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen got an earful from Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock at practice Thursday, and the message wasn’t lost on either player.
Babcock had the puck on his stick and was about to start a drill but addressed the two players. “What happened to you two? You wanna create more offence, hang on to the puck.”
Johnsson concurred with the coach’s assessment, saying he is trying to work on his puck protection skills.
“I need to take more care of the puck and create more offence,” Johnsson said after practice. “Last (year’s) camp was the same thing, some things I did good, some things bad. Everything is not clicking yet.”
At this early juncture in camp, Babcock has mentioned Johnsson and Kapanen as players who should draw more from their respective skill sets.
Both players are expected to crack the lineup, with the potential to move up in the lineup, depending on when William Nylander signs his new contract.
For the two wingers, that means potential duty on the fourth line, with Par Lindholm or Adam Cracknell as the potential centre, or potential spots on Nazem Kadri’s line.
Johnsson said he understands Babcock’s message, and focused on improving his body strength and mobility during the off-season.
“I worked on balance, co-ordination, and my body strength,” said Johnsson, who has used trainer Peter Froberg the last two summers during off-season training in his native Sweden.
“Getting more balance and coordination, I tried to work on that.” ACHES AND PAINS: Frederik Gauthier, vying for the fourthline centre job, missed practice Thursday with a shoulder injury.
He apparently aggravated his shoulder during the Leafs preseason game in Ottawa Wednesday evening.
Defenceman Travis Dermott (shoulder) missed a second consecutive day on the ice with the main groups in camp but skated on his own prior to workouts Thursday.
Dermott’s absence — while expected to be minimal — also factors into what is a solid and tight battle for the final defensive spots on the roster.
There is a possibility the Leafs start the season with eight blueliners. Newcomer Igor Ozhiganov has been the most impressive of a group of candidates that includes Dermott, Connor Carrick and Calle Rosen. Andreas Borgman, Justin Holl, Andrew Neilsen and Martin Marincin are all knocking on the door for an NHL job.
Ozhiganov got reps in Thursday’s practice with Ron Hainsey, who normally pairs with Morgan Rielly on the top defensive pairing. That forecasts regular minutes for Ozhiganov when the Leafs play a homeand-home set against Buffalo Friday and Saturday.