Columnist image

SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

| Archive

TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The team held a morning skate at the Air Canada Centre ahead of their game against the New York Rangers.

--

- There was a moment in Tuesday's game against Buffalo when Leafs defenceman Jake Gardiner eluded a Sabre by passing the puck to himself off the side boards. "That's a classic Gardiner play, right there," James van Riemsdyk said with a chuckle. "He's certainly really creative and has a lot of that in his toolbox, but I think he's getting better about when to do all that stuff, picking his spots way better." Toronto's forwards certainly appreciate how quickly Gardiner has been able to transition the puck this season. "He's not afraid to kind of make those, I guess, 50/50 plays," said Auston Matthews, who leads the Leafs with 38 points. "He's got the kind of skill that he can make those." Van Riemsdyk added, "He knows when to skate it and when to move it and it seems like a simple thing, but it's very important and it's easier said than done sometimes."

- When Randy Carlyle was coaching in Toronto, Gardiner seemed unsure of himself at times and his turnovers tended to overshadow his strong possession numbers. Since Mike Babcock took over last season Gardiner has re-established himself as a force on Toronto's blueline. Where has he improved the most? "Confidence," Babcock said. "Just figuring out who he is again and getting his confidence back." That's why the coach believes Gardiner will be able to adjust to more minutes and tougher matchups with Morgan Rielly out. "You're playing against the best guys every shift and the best guys tend to be harder on D so you just got to handle it," Babcock said. "But Jake has become a way better defender and can flat out move the puck, so he doesn't spend a whole lot of time in his zone." The Rangers have scored more goals than any other team in the NHL (156) and are led by a top line of Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider, who have combined for 38 points in the last 10 games. "I wouldn't change much, really just be aware of the top guys more, I guess," Gardiner said when asked about his top-pairing mindset. "Stepan's really a smart player and then Kreider's got serious speed so we got to stay in front of him all night. Both those guys, Stepan and Zuccarello, will be looking to catch him skating in stride." How will Gardiner deal with Kreider's speed? "If you can, give him less space, but if he's coming with a full head of steam you're obviously going to want to back up a little bit I think," the 26-year-old said with a smile. On Friday, Gardiner took three minor penalties, two holds and one hook, during Toronto's win at Madison Square Garden.

- Gardiner is in his sixth NHL season, but still sees plenty of room for improvement in his game. "I think I still have another level to go," he said. That comment was music to Babcock's ears. "Well, I'm glad he said that," the coach said with a smile. "Yeah, he does. He's just a kid in his development and [Nazem Kadri] is the same way. They have lots of ceiling left, but part of it is going to take summers and the way you commit to working out and getting stronger and all those things. That will help with confidence too."

- What has allowed Connor Brown to play such a significant role for the Leafs this season? "Well, he spent the whole summer with [Zach] Hyman in the gym," Babcock said. "They're machines. They work hard every day so they earn the right to feel good about themselves. They came to camp strong. They're relentless and can practise harder and work harder than anybody else every single day. They bring it every day. You don't need booster cables hooked up to their butt to get them going in the morning, they're going. As well as all those things, he's got a skill set and hockey sense so you put those things together that's signs of a good career." Brown has eight points (five goals, three assists) in the last seven games.

* Lines at Leafs morning skate:

Hyman-Matthews-Brown 
Komarov-Kadri-Nylander
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner
Martin-Gauthier-Soshnikov
Leivo

Gardiner-Zaitsev
Hunwick-Polak
Corrado-Carrick
Marincin

Andersen
McElhinney