TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates.

- Mitch Marner leads the Leafs in shots with 10 and that's by design. Getting pucks on net has been a point of emphasis for him early in his professional career. "It's something I'm focusing on now more than in junior and it's working," he said. Marner had plenty of chances to score in Ottawa on Wednesday and called it "a relief" to get one on Saturday. And Marner said he's grateful for the leeway he's been given by Babcock to be creative. "Mike lets you be if you don't turn over pucks and obviously Bozie and JVR, they've helped me out a lot and they trust me with the puck as well." Babcock objected to the idea that his system and structure stifles creativity. "The cop out is, 'Oh, he won't let us make any plays.' That's a complete farce. Just make the right plays and the clock and the score are boss," Babcock explained. "So, when you're up 3-1 at the end of the second period don't turn it over, there's no reason to turn it over, but make the plays that are there. I don't think anyone ever got upset about a turnover when it's a guy trying to make a play at the right time versus just being careless with the puck. Taking care of the puck is an important skill to have."

- The Maple Leafs spent a good chunk of Monday's practice working on special teams. The power play is 0-for-8 in the first two games. "We haven't executed really good on break outs and you only break out after you lose the face-off, so you add it all together — it hasn't been really good," head coach Mike Babcock said. "It hasn't been a momentum builder; if anything, it's been a drainer."

- Nazem Kadri collided with Connor Brown near the end of Monday's practice and left the ice briefly to get checked out. He did return, but did not take part in the battle/compete drills that were ongoing. "That was really my fault," Kadri said. "I just kind of tried to step around him and kind of nicked him and, you know, I wasn't going slow so I kind of just came down a little awkward. I wasn't able to brace myself, but I'm fine." Kadri did participate in the skating drill at the end of the workout. Here's video of the aftermath of the collision: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/kadri-insists-he-s-ok-after-awkward-practice-collision~974033

- Josh Leivo, who missed the first two games of the season with a lower-body injury, skated by himself before practice. Babcock said Leivo could join the main group tomorrow. The 23-year-old winger was designated as an injured non-roster player before the regular season started. 

- During Saturday's pre-game ceremony the Leafs players were not introduced one by one like in previous years. Instead, the team came out together, went to the circle at centre ice and saluted the fans. "We just found out right when we went on," Kadri said when asked about the wrinkle. "I liked the concept of it. We're a team. There's no individuals in here. We play for the name on the front not the back, it's a cliche, but it's true."

- Babcock was asked why so many young players are able to make the jump straight into the NHL these days. "I think physical development is way ahead of where it used to be," Babcock said. "Major juniors is just NHL light, just like light beer, it's the same principle, and it's the same thing with the NCAA. If you're coached real well in those leagues then you're really well prepared and they all have strength coaches and nutritionists and they all have personal trainers in the summer and skill coaches, so when they arrive they're more ready than they used to be."

* Lines at Leafs practice:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Marner
Michalek-Kadri-Komarov 
Martin-Holland-Brown
Griffith, Prust

Rielly-Marincin
Gardiner-Carrick
Hunwick-Zaitsev
Corrado (r), Polak (r)

Andersen
Enroth