Leafs notebook: Carrick could be odd man out on blue line

Connor Carrick practised Thursday with what is considered the Marlies group at Maple Leafs training camp. It was the second day with the group for Carrick, who has been a thirdpair defenceman for most of the past three seasons.

The assignment doesn’t carry any guarantee of where Carrick will end up when the season opens next Wednesday, but the perception is that he could end up in the AHL while four other blueliners — Travis Dermott, Justin Holl, Igor Oshiganov and Calle Rosen — all battle it out for the final blue-line jobs.

“I don’t read into things too much, I’m just grateful to be here, still representing the Toronto Maple Leafs, and fighting for a job,” Carrick said Thursday.

Carrick, like Rosen and Dermott, could be returned to the AHL without waivers. Holl, at 26, would need to clear waivers before any assignment to the AHL.

Still, it would seem to make little sense for the Leafs to give up on Carrick, a 24-year-old right-handed shot. SHOOTING STAR: Auston Matthews was all the rage at camp Thursday after he and the Leafs’ power play struck for two goals in its first two opportunities during a 5-3 win in Montreal Wednesday.

Matthews sniped the second goal after a tremendous dragand-curl take of a Mitch Marner pass. The centre then unleashed a perfect shot under the cross bar in what was seemingly one motion.

It was a wow moment for a power play that has everyone in hockey talking. But the shot also marked some of the returns Matthews can expect after a summer working on his mechanics.

“I think I’m trying to be more deceptive, opening more opportunities for myself,” Matthews said. “Create deception with the shot, that’s what I wanted to work on this summer. Just tinkering with it, little details and movements with the puck, footwork as well. You look at creating different angles to show defenceman.” PHOTO-SHOOTING STAR: The other wow factor involving Matthews came with the release of his GQ Magazine photos, taken during an NHL media tour earlier this month.

“It was different, a lot of fun,” said Matthews, who was certain to get some ribbing from teammates once the pictures began making the rounds. “It was definitely something different for me, something I haven’t done before.” INJURY REPORT: Leafs winger Zach Hyman skated with the main group Thursday for the first time since he suffered a hip pointer last weekend, and should be ready to play in the Leafs’ final two pre-season games this weekend.