Bringing hockey sense and mirth
TORONTO — When John Tavares praised Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner as “being better than I thought,” he wasn’t reflecting on just the high level of play the two Leaf young guns bring to the ice.
Tavares, an admittedly serious soul most of the time, felt that he has opened up more of his fun side, simply by being around Matthews and Marner off the ice.
With that, Tavares underlined something of a new team culture the Toronto Maple Leafs are fortunate to have. And that is the fact that, while veterans provide a calming influence, it’s the younger players who can evoke a sense of personality and family within a larger group of pro athletes.
“Yeah, I think so,” Matthews said Thursday, a day after his return to the lineup from a month-long shoulder injury layoff.
“Just meeting him (Tavares) on different occasions, he’s a focused guy. We have a young team and we like to have fun, so everyone can go out and relax. John came here from a different situation in New York, so maybe being here, I think, has been good for him.”
Matthews’ return Wednesday — he scored two goals and added an assist in a win over San Jose — certainly added a greater sense of depth to a Leafs lineup that had risen into a tie with Buffalo for first place overall in the National Hockey League prior to
Thursday night’s slate of games.
But Matthews was also back in the team element, where he’s become a driving force, not only with his play, but with the joy of having fun he shares with Marner.
The two are not afraid to show up with a fashion twist — hats or cutting-edge suits — and wear them confidently, while enjoying the moment at the same time.
Marner’s ride-along karaoke video with veteran Patrick Marleau went viral; and sometimes, inside the Leafs dressing room, reporters can hear Marner singing away behind the doors that lead to the players’ lounge.
It’s obviously a sign of young players being comfortable in their skins. But activities such as the odd fashion statement and music are good for the soul; and, with Matthews and Marner, they translate into a departure from the traditional relationship guidelines, where veterans had an almost authoritative say in team culture.
Matthews, though, doesn’t see the whole old and young dynamic as a thing of the past. The young players will always have respect for the veterans, and Marner and Matthews both stressed how Marleau and Ron Hainsey helped get the Leafs over their tendency, in recent years, to blow leads late in games.
Matthews and the rest of the players have also taken to calling Marleau “GOAT” — an acronym for the greatest of all time. Marleau’s influence on the Leafs’ younger players has been immeasurable. His calmness and his undying commitment to preparation have arguably helped set a stage where the young players can work hard and feel free to have fun, as well.
“We have been referring to him (Marleau) as the GOAT since last year,” Matthews said.
“He’s easy to play with, he works hard, he has a big body and he protects the puck well. He helps everyone in our room.”
Matthews was playing his first game Wednesday after a long layoff and, while he felt he wasn’t fully up to his former conditioning standards, his offence was way above expectations.
Leafs coach Mike Babcock had him playing on a line with Kasperi Kapanen and Connor Brown, but restored Marleau to that line (dropping Brown) at practice Thursday.
That line, with Marleau, restored Matthews to the trio he played with prior to his injury. Ultimately, Matthews may play with that line, or find himself with different left wingers, as Babcock matches lines differently at home and on the road.
But it was quite a first game back for Matthews. He and Marner followed it up with a video shoot for the Canadian Women’s Hockey League after Thursday’s practice. The two joined CWHL stars Laura Stacey and Natalie Spooner on the ice.
“I feel good today,” Matthews said, when asked how he felt the day after his first game.
“It was nice to get back out there, get the legs moving again. Just get going and get ready for Saturday (game in Minnesota).”