Leafs ponder Rock-star treatment
Frederik Gauthier is looking forward to training camp in St. John’s.
Morgan Rielly spoke about how important the training would be. Frederik Gauthier talked about the tight battle for jobs. Only Nic Petan even acknowledged that the Maple Leafs’ training camp in Newfoundland might offer up some unique distractions.
“I’ve never been before, so I’m excited to see what it’s like over there,” said Petan. “I’ve heard a lot of good stories.”
What kind of stories?
“Uh, good stories, and I’ve heard there’s good golf. Let’s leave it there.”
Only a handful of the Mitch Marnerless Leafs met with the media Wednesday at their annual golf tournament in support of the MLSE Foundation. The rest will get a further grilling Thursday, when medicals are held. The team then flies off to Newfoundland for a three-day camp in Paradise before switching to Mile One Arena for an exhibition game Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators.
The golf tournament, at RattleSnake Point in Milton, was rife with Leafs alumni who fondly remembered what it was like to play in Newfoundland with the old St. John’s Maple Leafs of the AHL.
“It was interesting,” said longtime Leafs defenceman Tomas Kaberle. “In one day, I saw three seasons: raining, summer and snow. In one day.
“But the people were really nice, and it was a good hockey town. They were friendly. And they fished a lot. And they stayed, shall we say, hydrated. And they loved hockey players there.”
The Leafs’ top farm team was housed there from 1991 until 2005, when the team moved to Toronto. Plenty of ex-Leafs made their way through St. John’s. Nathan Dempsey was the all-time leader in games played (508) and assists (196). Yanic Perreault was tops in goals (132) and points (276). Nikolai Antropov played 36 games there over a couple of seasons.
“For me, it was something different,” said Antropov. “My first year after Leafs camp, I was the last guy they cut and played two games in the old barn. That was different hockey, a bunch of fights. Nothing I got used to.”
He was called up quickly, but went back to rehab from knee surgery in the 2001-02 season.
“English obviously was new for me,” said Antropov, born in Kazakhstan. “And in St. John’s, it was different English. Try to explain something to a cabbie and he was talking about everything, but you don’t understand anything.
“Weather-wise, I remember it was November, pretty warm at the time. Wore just a track suit, but three hours later after practice there was four feet of snow. All right, I thought. Real Canada. It was fun times.”
The Leafs reconnected with St. John’s last season, housing another farm team there: the Newfoundland Growlers. They won the ECHL’s Patrick J. Kelly Cup in their inaugural season.
As they have in other locations for training camp, the Leafs are sure to take in the local history and culture. Last year, they were in Niagara Falls and visited the Falls on the Hornblower. They’ve also trained in Halifax. Up next: icebergs, Viking villages and the famed George Street in St. John’s.
“I played there a few times when I was with the Marlies,” said Gauthier. “It’s a nice town. Get the guys together and get ready for the season.”
Training camp sounded like it will be serious business.
“I’m just excited to get going,” said Rielly. “It’s been a lot of informal skates and workouts. Once camp gets going, it’s a lot more fun, more intense. You get a feel for linemates, partners, practices. It’s more fun once it gets going.”