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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Leafs held an optional skate at TD Garden on Thursday morning. The Boston Bruins held an optional skate at Warrior Ice Arena. 

Last summer, Patrick Marleau uprooted his young family from San Jose and moved across the continent. A key reason why: he believed the Toronto Maple Leafs were ready to contend. 

"Coming here I saw this team as a playoff team and we’ve made it and now the real work begins," Marleau said ahead of his 178th NHL playoff game. 

Marleau has two Olympic gold medals. He's scored 535 NHL goals while suiting up in 1,575 games. He doesn’t need a Stanley Cup to validate his career. But, make no mistake about it, that burning desire to win an elusive title is something the 38-year-old carries into this first-round series against the Boston Bruins, which opens tonight at TD Garden. 

“It’s there," Marleau said. "That’s all you dream about as a kid. As a NHL player that’s all you want to do is win the Cup.”

Marleau came tantalizingly close a couple years ago when the Sharks fell in the final against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. 

“He’s hungry," observed Mitch Marner. "Obviously, leaving that team to come here, he had high hopes for us. We want to prove he made the right choice.”

The Leafs signed Marleau to help a young and talented core get over the hump. He's certainly lived up to the expectations so far, scoring 27 goals and adding 20 assists while playing all 82 games in the first season of his three-year deal. Off the ice, he has grown close with Auston Matthews and Marner, serving as a mentor to them and the other youngsters in Toronto. 

"He's so approachable. He's such a good role model for everyone," said 21-year-old defenceman Travis Dermott. "He works his hardest every day. He's such a pro, doing stuff off the ice, getting treatment, stretching out, everything. He’s a guy you look at and say ‘This guy really deserves a Cup,’ and it’s almost a surprise that he doesn’t have one yet. If you’re not doing it for yourself then Patty Marleau is a real good guy to do it for.”

“I didn’t know him in San Jose, but all I keep hearing is how quiet he was," Marner said, "so, I don’t know, it’s kind of weird hearing that, because he’s been talking a lot. He came in and was a leader from Day 1."

He's a leader, but also a reminder that even the most dedicated players struggle to climb the NHL's mountain. No active player has suited up in more games without winning a Stanley Cup than Marleau. 

“It’s a great message to everybody in our room," said coach Mike Babcock. "You think you're a bunch of kids and your chance is going to come and it’s going to come, but next year never comes in sport. When you have an opportunity, make good on it. We believe in our room we have an opportunity.”

Marleau's appreciation for how hard it is to win in the NHL has grown since his NHL playoff debut way back in 1998. 

“You come in, you think you’re going to have a long time to win it but, I think the main thing is, just to take advantage of each and every year, every chance you get to try and win it," the Saskatchewan native said. "That’s what we need to do here.”

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In last year's first-round series, 10 Leafs made their NHL playoff debuts. This year, in Game 1 at least, the number is just one (Dermott). 

“The belief in o​ur room is different," said Babcock. "Last year, we were very excited and you still always believe you have a chance, but I think this year, as good a team as Boston is, and they’d be the same in their room, they feel they’re going to win, we feel we’re going to win so something’s got to give.”

"We're more of a confident group," Nazem Kadri said. "We clinched a little earlier ... we've done a great job preparing ourselves and mentally and physically we're ready to go."

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Toronto's lone playoff neophyte was bursting with energy on Thursday morning. ​

"All last night, it's all you're thinking about," Dermott said. "All last week, it's all you're thinking about. You want to get it started. If we could've played the game this morning instead of the morning skate I would've. You just want to get it going, get that first shift under your belt, take everything in and then it's just hockey game from there. Everything's on the line and this is what you live for."

Babcock has said one of Dermott's great qualities is he doesn't seem to let anything get to him. If he makes a mistake he learns from it and moves forward. 

So, is Dermott nervous at all for his first taste of the NHL postseason? 

"Not really," he said with his trademark grin. "The excitement probably defeats any nerves you have. Just want to get started."

Marner said Dermott may be the only Leaf with a worse playoff beard than him and, on that front, Dermott's self-confidence does waver just a bit. 

"It might be a little bit before you start seeing too much, for sure," Dermott said with a laugh.

The Bruins have three NHL playoff rookies making their debuts tonight (Danton Heinen, Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk). 

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Projected Leafs lineup: 

Forwards
Hyman-Matthews-Nylander 
Marleau-Kadri-Marner 
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Brown 
Komarov-Plekanec-Kapanen 

Defencemen
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev 
Dermott-Polak 

Goaltenders
Andersen starts 
McElhinney 


Projected Bruins lineup: 

Forwards
Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
DeBrusk-Krejci-Nash
Heinen-Acciari-Backes
Schaller-Kuraly-Wingels

Defencemen
Chara-McAvoy
Krug-Miller
Grzelcyk-McQuaid

Goaltenders
Rask starts 
Khudobin