Final practice scrimmage shows a lot of promise
Several youngsters, newcomers impress the coach at shortened training camp
The Canadiens' second and final scrimmage of training camp got off to a great start Sunday night at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard.
The Red vs. White game had what will most likely be the Canadiens' opening-night lineup in rouge, while the rest of the players invited to training camp were in blanc.
Only 58 seconds into the scrimmage, Jonathan Drouin scored a power-play goal as the Red team went on to win 4-1. Paul Byron (short-handed), Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki (empty-netter) also scored for the Red team, while Corey Perry scored the only goal for the White team on a power play, deflecting a point shot past goalie Carey Price.
Drouin and the power play are two things the Canadiens will be counting on heavily when the regular season starts Wednesday night in Toronto against the Maple Leafs (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio).
Drouin had a disappointing regular season last year, limited to 27 games because of a wrist injury that required surgery while posting 7-8-15 totals. The Canadiens' power play also struggled with a 17.7-per-cent success rate to rank 22nd in the NHL. A healthy Drouin played much better in the postseason with 1-6-7 totals in 10 games, but the power play was even worse in the Toronto bubble with a 15.2-per-cent success rate.
Drouin and the power play both need to be better this season.
Drouin is now on the first power-play unit with fellow forwards Suzuki and Tyler Toffoli, along with defencemen Shea Weber and Jeff Petry. Drouin's goal came when he banged in the rebound of a shot from Weber past goalie Jake Allen.
“We obviously have Weby's shot on top and Suzy's great, too, on that side to shoot it high glove,” Drouin said after the Red team's morning skate in Brossard when asked about the power play. “I just got to be there for support. Obviously, we got Toffoli in the middle, too, a great shooter, natural scorer. Our power play is looking good in practice, let's make sure it looks good in the games as well.”
Drouin and Suzuki looked good together as linemates during the postseason and now they have newcomer Josh Anderson with them, a six-foot-three, 226-pound power forward on the right wing.
“We obviously want to keep going like we did in the bubble, but I think we've followed that up in the camps and the practice we've had,” Drouin said about his chemistry with Suzuki. “We see each other on the ice well, we find each other. To add that much speed on the right wing and that much size it's going to create room for us, and (Anderson) can shoot the puck really well. Andy's going to be a great player on our line. We got to use Andy as well. We just got to play as a three-man unit and not just me and Zuke pass the puck. He can play hockey too and he's got a lot of speed.”
With such a short training camp, it's not a surprise this scrimmage was very choppy and sloppy.
The Red team will face a much bigger challenge Wednesday night when they're dressed in full bleublanc-rouge against the Maple Leafs.
His roster appears set for the Maple Leafs' regular-season opener on Wednesday against the visiting Montreal Canadiens.
For Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, however, there will be numerous legitimate options if he doesn't like what he sees.
That goes for both forward and defence.
“We're starting to see the potential of guys like Joey Anderson and Adam Brooks (at forward) between the scrimmage and again (Saturday in the Blue and White game), those guys really stood out positively,” Keefe said. “Travis Boyd is getting more comfortable.
“Camp is over and we have to press on to the next phase. It's nice to see that the depth is there for us and that those guys competed.”
On the blue line, no one should bat an eye if Rasmus Sandin or Travis Dermott replaces Zach Bogosian at some point. In fact, considering the Leafs play backto-back in Ottawa against the Senators on Friday and Saturday, we would be surprised if Keefe doesn't use some players who had been idle.
What seems clear, for now, is that newcomer Mikko Lehtonen would have to play his way out of the lineup, even with his inexperience in the National Hockey League. Ditto for Alex Barabanov on the fourth line.
“We need to give them an opportunity,” Keefe said. “The puck is going to drop, and then we're playing for real. Every game and every point matters, so we have to be mindful of that. But we want to give the players an opportunity to grow.”
What does Lehtonen, named the top defenceman in the KHL in 2019-20, find among the challenges in transitioning to the NHL?
“I have to sometimes give the puck away (to an area to avoid danger), don't force the game, that's the biggest thing,” Lehtonen said. “You don't have that much time. You have to make a simple play. I like to play on smaller ice. The D-zone is sometimes easier because you're closer to opponents, so I feel comfortable.”
Lehtonen's ability to get the puck on net on Saturday stood out.
“He moves the puck with confidence, especially on the offensive side of the red line, gets it to the net,” Keefe said. “That's a strength of his … just getting the puck by the first and second layer and getting it the net.
“Probably the biggest positive of all is his attitude. He's a hard worker. He listens well, he asks questions. He responds to coaching.”
NICK KNOWS
Joe Bowen nailed it on Saturday night with his call of Nick Robertson's power-play goal in the third period.
“Wow!” Bowen barked into the microphone with his trademark enthusiasm. “What a shot! Holy mackinaw! Nick Robertson shows you what everyone is talking about — his release! That was a bullet.”
Indeed it was, the one-timer that Robertson unleashed on goalie Aaron Dell after taking a pass from John Tavares. Watch the replay several times and ask yourself how Dell might have stopped it. There's no definitive answer.
As eye-opening as the goal might have been, Robertson is bound to be on the outside looking in once the roster is set. The 19-year-old winger is taking his immediate future in stride, and no one could convince us it won't be long before Keefe gives him a look in a game.
Robertson demonstrated last August in the qualifying round against Columbus that he belongs in the NHL.
“I always find ways to motivate myself,” Robertson said. “Every day is a day where I can learn from others and as to where I stand with the roster, I know that no matter what, I have to keep working hard and that's what I will continue to do.”
The Leafs kept Robertson in Toronto rather than send him to Edmonton to play for the United States in the world junior hockey championship.
Does Robertson regret not having the chance to play in the world junior, especially after the U.S. beat Canada for the gold medal?
“It would have been nice,” Robertson said. “I was really glad to see them win. As far as regrets, we thought the safest way to do it was to stay here, but fortunately they won and congratulations to them.”
LOOSE LEAFS
Among the many crucial elements for the Leafs will be the quickness with which Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie find chemistry as the team's top defence pair. “The one thing that I noticed with him was his breakout passes and the way he's able to use the middle of the ice,” Rielly said. “There were a couple of times (in the game) where he was able to use me and our forwards. He's good at going back for pucks, he's a good skater, makes a good first pass. We're just going to try to build and get better as time goes on.” … Curious to see what happens if Alex Kerfoot (leg) is not able to go against Montreal. Pierre Engvall played in Kerfoot's spot on the third line between Ilya Mikheyev and Zach Hyman on Saturday, and Keefe wasn't singing Engvall's praises afterward. “I expect better from Pierre,” Keefe said. “Got to redirect him toward the other end of the ice.” Engvall scored, and Keefe noted that “we might be coming up, if not past, the oneyear anniversary of his last goal.” Close. After Jan. 6 last season, Engvall scored once, and it was on Feb. 22 against non-nhl netminder David Ayres, filling in for Carolina … Rielly's smarts make him a good shootout choice if others continue to struggle … The Leafs had the day off on Sunday.