The Toronto Maple Leafs practised at Ford Performance Centre on Monday.
John Tavares and William Nylander are preaching patience amid a slow start for the Leafs second line.
“There’s no reason to panic or just hit that button, I guess, so to speak, extremely quick,” Tavares said. “You just stay focused on continuing to get a little better every day.”
“I mean, look, I think we’ve had some good chances and been moving the puck well a few shifts so it takes some time,” Nylander said. “I feel in practice and through training camp it’s been there and obviously when it becomes a game it’s a little bit different, but we want to keep building off that.”
Tavares insists there are “some good underlying things” happening for the line, which also includes rookie Gavin McKenna, but most of the numbers aren’t pretty so far.
Among the 40 lines that have played at least 40 minutes together, Toronto’s second line opened the week ranking last in goal differential (outscored 3-0), slot shot differential (minus eight) and expected goal percentage (15.2), per Sportlogiq.
And yet, Tavares remained between McKenna and Nylander at Monday’s practice.
“You can only be patient for so long,” said coach Jim Hiller. “But we’ll stick with it for now.”
Hiller is hoping the nearly hour-long workout on Monday will help jumpstart Toronto’s offence not just for the second line but the entire team. Toronto has been limited to just six goals through three games while going 1-2-0.
“Just a little closer together in the O-zone,” Hiller said of the focus. “Having three guys close and bringing some pucks to the dirty areas a little quicker. So I think that’ll be a focus for not just them but everybody.”
Nylander scored twice in the season opener, but the first goal came during a line change and the second was assisted by Easton Cowan, who had replaced McKenna on the line for the shift.
After firing five shots on net in the first game, Nylander has been limited to three in the last two games.
“We’re trying to establish more of an offensive game down below the goal line and not be one and done,” Nylander said. “I think that’s what’s happened a few times. I think defensively we’ve given up some ... fluky goals, you know, shooting through a couple screens and stuff like that.”
The other forward lines are performing relatively well. The first unit with Auston Matthews between Kirill Marchenko and Jack Roslovic is showing signs of breaking out while the third group of Nick Paul between Cowan and Colton Sissons is holding its own in tough matchups.
Hiller points out that changing things to spark one line can have “unintended consequences” throughout the lineup.
The Leafs are integrating seven new forwards right now and the players only had two pre-season games to shake off the rust and build chemistry. And with a shorter training camp this year, the Leafs new coaching staff prioritized working on play away from the puck early on.
“We wanted to get that done first,” Hiller said. “And I think we’ve been pretty good that way. Today was a larger emphasis on some offence ... We got it in there today, had a good practice, so let’s see it translate.”
“It’s early on,” Nylander said. “Usually training camp would be like, well, what did I have before my first year? Eight games or something. So, you know, the season is kind of starting in one more game.”
Tavares still doesn’t appear to be up to speed. His top burst so far this season has been 32.56 km/h, which is in the bottom half of the league, per NHL Edge stats. Last year, Tavares reached 36.47 km/h, which was in the 72nd percentile.
Tavares has noted that he liked to get into three pre-season games under the previous longer format, but on Monday downplayed the impact of a shorter training camp.
“I feel good,” the 36-year-old centre stressed. “I felt good through it. I’ve had the experience of playing when we had the shortened season [in 2021] and there were no pre-season games, the bubble experience [in 2020], you know, you had one [exhibition] game after four months off.”
Tavares further pointed out that there were also no pre-season games after returning from the lockout during the 2012-13 season.
“So, I have some experience with that,” he continued. “And, obviously, it’s league wide, it’s not just team based. So, not trying to put a whole lot in that. I think just trying to continue to work on my game, be sharp, be ready to go, and execute when you’re out there.”
Tavares has two secondary assists through three games. He also had two assists through three games last season. He then had three points (one goal, two assists) in the fourth game of the season against the Nashville Predators.
The Leafs will host the Predators, again in their fourth game of the season, on Tuesday night.
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Asked a general question about his line sustaining more offensive-zone pressure, Tavares brought up the challenge facing McKenna.
“It’s not like he’s jumping into a situation where he’s put in every scenario to have every opportunity and learn from mistakes,” Tavares said. “Obviously, as a team, believing, wanting to be contenders ... it’s a different challenge for him, feeling his way through that.”
McKenna had hoped to hit the scoresheet for the first time before his family headed home to Whitehorse on Sunday, but was again held without a point during Saturday’s setback to the Ottawa Senators.
The last time the first overall pick was held without a point through his first three NHL games was winger Alexis Lafreniere with the New York Rangers in 2021.
“I mean, there’s no pressure to produce,” Nylander said. “I mean, you know he’s going to be a great player, so it’s going to happen in waves. A lot of waves.”
Nylander was also held without a point through his first three NHL games when he was called up after the trade deadline during the 2015-16 season. He scored in his fourth game. Of course, the Leafs were on their way to a last-place finish at the time. As Tavares noted, this year the plan is to be a playoff team.
“He’s going to continue to adapt really, really well,” Tavares said. “So, yeah, it will be a matter of time before you just really see him do some things that are pretty special and what made him the first pick.”
McKenna was not made available to the media on Monday despite requests. The 18-year-old last spoke to reporters after practice on Friday.
“I think he’s handling it well,” Hiller said. “I thought last game was his best game. He had a really good practice. I think his favourite time is power-play time (smile). Boy, when he gets the puck there, it’s like ... ‘Okay, finally, a little time and space, and I get to do my thing.’ And you can just see how incredibly talented he is.”
Hiller noted that McKenna “seems unflappable.”
“I’m sure he wishes he had more right now,” the coach continued. “Of course, that’s obvious. But I haven’t seen it affect him when I talk to him. He’s got a smile on his face, and he walks around here the same as he did two months ago and two weeks ago. So, I think that’s a really important quality for him.”
Tavares is hosting McKenna at his house this season and also sees no change in demeanour.
“His smile and the joy of being at the rink every day has been excellent,” Tavares said.
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Matthews, Marchenko and Roslovic all hit the ice during Sunday’s optional skills practice in order to work on some details.
“The offensive-zone positioning for us is key,” Roslovic revealed. “We need to really know where each other are outside of battles. So, just being able to get the puck in the corner and feel comfortable where the other two are going to be is the biggest key for us.”
Matthews deflected home a Morgan Rielly point shot for his first goal of the season on Saturday although it came with Marchenko sitting on the bench due to an equipment issue. So, the line hasn’t connected for a goal at even strength yet.
“Just the ability to hold onto pucks, I think we need to show a little bit more of that,” Roslovic said. “We can definitely excel at that. Off the rush, the plays are there, they’re going to be made, but it’s staying patient and really working in the O-zone.”
Per Sportlogiq, Toronto’s top line is leading the way in slot-shot differential (plus-14) and expected goals percentage (84.3). It feels like only a matter of time before it all leads to actual goals.
“I think that’s just the way it goes sometimes,” Hiller said. “Those are really good looks. Some have been crossbars and posts and stuff on top of that. Those are just really good looks. Those will start to go. If you create those types of Grade-A chances, they’re going to go.”
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Monday marked only the second full team practice for Marchenko since being acquired in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets last week.
“Oh, it’s helping a lot,” the 26-year-old Russian said. “I just more know, like, everybody here. We meet [more] with everybody in locker room, and it’s way more comfortable for me. I just feel better and better every day.”
The chance to play with Matthews means a lot to Marchenko, who has been tracking the star centre since the Arizona native made the bold decision to play in Switzerland during his draft season.
“When I was in Russia, I’m wearing 34 number,” Marchenko said with a smile. “You can find the pictures in the junior team ... Because he starts to score the goals, I think, ‘Okay, if I wear this number, I score goals too.’”
But Marchenko didn’t have the year he hoped so he changed to his current No. 86.
“[Nikita] Kucherov play nice too,” Marchenko said of the Tampa Bay Lightning winger who wears 86. “Just try it and after it stay with me for my full career. Now I love it.”
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Lines at Monday’s practice:
Marchenko - Matthews - Roslovic
McKenna - Tavares - Nylander
Cowan - Paul - Sissons
Duhaime - Blueger - Groulx
MacEwen
McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Raddysh
Ekman-Larsson - Stecher
Blankenburg
Bobrovsky
Stolarz
Bonello
Power play units at Monday’s practice:
Raddysh
Matthews - Marchenko - Nylander
Tavares
Rielly
McKenna - Paul - Roslovic
Cowan
