Maple Leafs training camp: Position battles heat up as games begin

Michael Augello

Maple Leafs training camp: Position battles heat up as games begin image

The Maple Leafs wrapped up the opening weekend of training camp at Gale Centre Arena in Niagara Falls, ON on Sunday, and after a series of drills and intersquad scrimmages, the club is looking forward to the start of their eight-game exhibition schedule on Monday.  

“These three days have been good," said Auston Matthews. "Each day, you get your legs back under you, you get your touch and feel back. It’s been a fun couple days here, just to see everybody back and everybody is pretty excited. (We’ll) finally start playing games now instead of practicing against each other all day.”

 

 

The Calder Trophy winner celebrated his 20th birthday on Sunday and indicated that the summer leading up to this year’s camp has been much less hectic than 12 months ago, when he represented Team USA in the World Championships during the spring, participated in Toronto’s rookie development camp in July and played for Team North America in the World Cup of Hockey last September.

“It feels real nice not to have that whole busy summer.” Matthews said. “It felt really good last year, (but) there was just so much stuff going on. To get that full summer experience where you can be in one place for a long period of time, every week I was going somewhere, so it was nice to be home and relaxed and have a set regimen.”

 

 

Things will move quickly for the Leafs, who cut down from 73 to a more manageable 48 player Sunday. They will face division rival Ottawa in Kanata, ON on Monday, with battles on the wing and defense being the main area of competition over the next two weeks.

“This is an opportunity for us to see our kids build structure and work ethic into our game-winning habits and now we get to the evaluation period.” Leafs head coach Mike Babcock explained. “The next eight games, as much as it is a team time, it is an individual time. You are battling for your lot in life.”

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Veteran Leo Komarov was shifted to right wing on the weekend to make room for veteran Patrick Marleau on the Leafs shutdown line with Nazem Kadri. Connor Brown, a 20-goal scorer as a rookie last year, appears to be slated to start his sophomore year on the fourth line, where he began his rookie season.

Rookie Kasperi Kapanen and winger Nikita Soshnikov showed that they were capable of playing in the NHL, but the addition of Marleau has made things tight up front for Toronto.

Both may find themselves starting the season in the American Hockey League because they are waiver exempt, while youngster Josh Leivo could make the 23-man roster because he would have to clear waivers.

Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, who missed two days of workouts due to the birth of his daughter Vera, skated for the first time Sunday morning and was glad to get back to work.

“I’m very excited and I’m so happy to be back on the ice.” Zaitsev said. “I’m more comfortable (after playing in the NHL last year, (because) I know everybody here, so everything is easier.”

 

 

The 25-year-old blueliner signed a seven-year, $31.5 Million contract extension during the summer and put an emphasis on getting stronger in preparation for the upcoming season, putting on five pounds of muscle and skating for all but a couple weeks during the summer.  

Defenseman Roman Polak (who was invited on a professional tryout last week) took part in drills for the third day and skated without difficulty, but did not participate in any of the three weekend scrimmages.

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The battle on the blueline looks to be an open competition for bottom pairing spots and a seventh, depth defenseman. Newcomers Andreas Borgman and Calle Rosen, 2017 first round pick Timothy Liljegren, rookie Travis Dermott. veterans Polak, Connor Carrick and Martin Marincin will get a number of games to make their case.

Rosen played both the left and right side on the weekend, which may give the 23-year-old a better chance at cracking the Toronto lineup. Dermott was paired with Liljegren for the first two days of camp, and the tandem impressed with their skating and passing ability.

Michael Augello