Leafs take it outdoors for ‘a great day’
The next time the Toronto Maple Leafs gather at City Hall, they hope it’s a lot warmer with something bigger to celebrate than winning a 3-on-3 tournament.
Before hundreds of fans jammed around the rink at Nathan Phillips Square on Thursday — where the Raptors’ NBA title parade culminated last June — the hockey club held its annual outdoor practice. Temperatures hovered around freezing, but the sun was out with its reflection bright enough off the ice surface that many players wore eye grease to cut down the glare.
“A great day,” said defenceman Tyson Barrie, who is new to the team and the city. “That was something not everyone gets to do. Any time you get our group together, put something on the line and people are watching, it’s going to get competitive.”
In full gear, sans skates, the Leafs rode the subway from Scotiabank Arena via Union Station to Osgoode, then made their way through long lines of fans bathed in blue and white. The many onlookers under the famous arches in the shadow of the Old City Hall clock tower included Mayor John Tory and other civic officials on a day when it could be said left wingers and right wingers were getting along fine.
Team Ontario, comprised of local players such as GTA captain John Tavares and Jason Spezza, first beat the Eastern squad of Québécois Frederik Gauthier and Europeans such as William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen, then in the final, the East made it past the West, which included Auston Matthews and B.C. natives Barrie and Morgan Rielly.
Barrie served as TTC guide on the way up from Scotiabank. He has a monthly Presto pass.
“I take the subway every day and was trying to show these guys the ropes,” Barrie said.
“There were lot of people taking pictures. It was pretty cool to have a team pile on there when you’re trying to get to work.
“A couple of people might have followed us on and had jerseys to sign, but I’m sure some people were surprised, probably just trying to get to work. Maybe they got in trouble for being 10 minutes late.”
Barrie said ex- Leaf Nazem Kadri recommended The Better Way to him when they were traded for each other last summer. He gets recognized now and then by other commuters, who usually wish him luck that night.
Some Leafs, such as Tavares and goalie Michael Hutchinson, brought their new babies to cradle for a team picture while Travis Dermott and Zach Hyman brought their dogs and let them run out on the ice afterward. Dermott raised his Australian shepherd Niyla as if the hound were the Stanley Cup to loud cheers.
“This was awesome, it was great to see the fans and interact,” said Dermott.
From such frigid conditions, the Leafs head to Florida on Friday, a day off in the sun and one game versus the Panthers on Sunday.
Coach Sheldon Keefe had dropped by the Raptors parade at City Hall last summer, albeit at 6:30 a.m., “just to get a feel for it.”
“This was fun to see the fans and a nice little experience for us to break up our week,” Keefe said. ‘We’re at the stage of the season ( just past the halfway point) where the schedule can become a bit of a grind.”
FREDDY WILL BE READY
Frederik Andersen worked out early Thursday after losing a 4- 3 shootout to the Jets, but stoning them on overtime breakaways. He’ll play Sunday in Florida, with Michael Hutchinson possibly getting one of the home games next week against New Jersey, Calgary or Chicago.
Keefe said Andreas Johnsson is making the trip with the Leafs to test his healing broken ankle, but won’t play. “We’re getting towards the dayto-day stage with him,” Keefe said.
Forwards Trevor Moore ( concussion), Ilya Mikheyev (wrist surgery) and defenceman Jake Muzzin (broken foot) remain out.