Youngest Leafs can learn from all-star road test

Think of this part of the schedule as a free Hall of Fame preview for the youngest players on the Maple Leafs.

In the space of seven games, going back to Saturday’s loss to Washington, the Leafs are up close and personal with Alex Ovechkin, the Flames’ Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday, the ‘generational player’ Connor McDavid two nights later, wrapping their road trip against the Sedin twins in Vancouver. Next week, it’s Jagr and McDavid again at the Air Canada Centre, sandwiching a test against Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh.

For Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and others there has to be some valuable lessons in seeing so many greats in the flesh — how they walk, talk and perform in the heat of battle.

“Those kind of challenges are the best thing for a person, individually and as a team,” said former goaltender and Hockey Night In Canada analyst Kelly Hrudey while watching the Leafs and Flames practice Tuesday.

Lord knows the Leafs of the post 2004-05 lockout years have seen a slew of stars come into the ACC and carry their team on their backs, bark commands, direct traffic or deal with officials. Crosby and Ovechkin (a hat trick against Toronto the other night) lit up the Leafs and now Toronto, having finally committed to a draft rebuild, has Matthews and the others starting their second full seasons.

“You watch Crosby and think ‘what can I learn from him?’,” Hrudey said. “Not only what he does with his creativity, but how he prepares.”

That’s one of the reasons the Flames extended a contract to the 45-year-old Jagr. First line forward Sean Monahan directed reporters’ attention to Jagr’s cramped locker with its collection of fitness gear, such as ankle weights, with a path of different equipment samples leading to his stall.

“Everyone has a different way of preparing and it’s cool to see, especially at his age, someone you can look up to,” Monahan said. “He’s always paying attention to little details.”

The Leafs already took a leap of faith in Patrick Marleau. At 37, there was concern the Leafs had overpaid or were jumping the gun on their patience plan. But Marleau is scoring, including a teambest four game-winning goals and leading by example in other areas.

Matthews says he’s picking up something useful every game, home and away.