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TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

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TSN Toronto reporter Kristen Shilton checks in daily with news and notes on the Maple Leafs. The team held a noon practice at MasterCard Centre.   

It’s been two weeks since William Nylander resolved his contract stalemate and returned to the Maple Leafs’ lineup.

The winger has made slow progress establishing his offensive game in the six contests he’s played in, producing just two assists, but head coach Mike Babcock isn’t about to panic.

“There was business to be done and he got his business done [signing a six-year extension], but now the business to be done is to get up and running,” Babcock said after the Leafs’ practice on Wednesday. “Getting frustrated with yourself or disappointed or whatever word is just a total waste of energy.”

While Babcock said he’s “not concerned” with Nylander’s offence, the 22-year-old winger admitted it’s not easy to be patient.

“I have to be,” Nylander said. “But at the same time, you want to perform and stuff. It gets to the point where you’re going to be mad, but you want to get going.”

Nylander joked his teammates are “happy to have me back; now they want me to score goals” but that hasn’t come easily for a player who has shown elite offensive talent in the past.

“It’s tough to really get into game shape without playing games, that’s why you have preseason and even then it takes you a couple games to really get going,” said Auston Matthews, who missed 14 games this season with a shoulder injury.

“I think that’s the biggest part, just skating, playing a full 60 minutes, feeling good with your legs and your body and the timing and everything. It takes a little time to get back.”

Nylander said he felt fresher two weeks ago than he does now, with the daily grind of practising taking its toll physically. He also wasn’t satisfied with his performance in New Jersey on Tuesday, a night where he was held off the scoresheet while 11 different Toronto players had at least one point.

The only path now for Nylander is to keep working to find the spark he and the Leafs know lies within.

“Get excited; you’re playing in the National Hockey League,” Babcock said of his advice for Nylander. “Get to work, and fight your way back. Nobody is surprised. Nobody. [Just] dig in and get playing.”

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Matthews is used to large crowds watching him work. He’s just not usually on a stage while it’s happening.

That will be his new reality on Wednesday night, when Matthews and Mitchell Marner appear in a National Ballet of Canada performance of The Nutcracker. The two will be playing the role of cannon dolls, but Matthews still isn’t totally sure what the evening will entail.

“I show up 30 minutes before and we’ll hear then,” he said. “They fit you for the outfit then, so not much preparation. I’ll have to prepare by myself at home before then. I hope they don’t make me do too much stuff.”

The centre has never seen a live production of The Nutcracker, only the movie version, so he doesn’t anticipate any urge to be too spontaneous once the curtain rises.

“I don’t want to ruin the play. Everyone keeps telling me how big of a deal this is,” he said. “It’s the National Ballet and it’s sold out and it’s a big thing. I think I’ll just stick with the script.”

Knowing clips of him and Marner are likely to go viral, Matthews’ aim is to “try not to do anything stupid,” but either way his teammates and coach will be ready with a few zingers come Thursday morning.

“They’ll have a good laugh, and then we’ll have a good laugh at ‘em,” said Babcock. “I think they’ll be outstanding.”

A likely target for some jokes will be the colourful outfits cannon dolls wear. Matthews has looked up pictures online, and is looking forward to experiencing the whole event.

“Hopefully they have something in my size,” he joked. “It will be funny to see me and Mitch with that on. I think they’ll make us look pretty good out there.”

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When Igor Ozhiganov arrived in Canada last summer to start his NHL career, the defenceman barely spoke English.

His language skills are said to have come a long way in the months since, and haven't been a barrier to Ozhiganov learning what it takes to succeed at hockey’s highest level.

“Ozi has unbelievable skill, size, stick, brain, good defensively,” said Babcock. “He’s got to get quicker. Knows that, has worked at it and we’re hoping that with more time in the league he’ll end up being what we think he can be. Ozi is way down in weight and way up in muscle in a short period of time and it takes time [to adjust].”

After playing seven seasons in the KHL, Ozhiganov didn’t step into an NHL spot next to a seasoned veteran, either. He’s played primarily on the Leafs’ third pairing with 21-year-old Travis Dermott, presenting a learning opportunity for both.

“They have to be better defensively,” Babcock said. “Dermy has the quick-twitch fiber and he can move the puck and do all those things, but you have to be good defensively. You can’t make mistakes at key times in games.”

Once Ozhiganov has a better handle on the defensive complexities of the game, the Leafs want to see his special-teams role increase in a big way.

“We think he can be an elite penalty killer, we really do,” said Babcock. “We haven’t even penalty killed him yet. So that’s our plan moving ahead.”

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The Leafs had a special guest at practice on Wednesday, inviting York University goaltender Alex Fotinos to the session while giving Frederik Andersen the day (mostly) off.

Andersen was out before practice with Fotinos and Garret Sparks going through drills, but left 10 minutes before the full-team portion began. Zach Hyman was also absent from the proceedings.

The Leafs didn’t run their usual line combination drills on Wednesday, focusing more on special teams.

Babcock confirmed after Andersen will start in net on Thursday against the Florida Panthers, and that Hyman will be good to go as well.

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Maple Leafs projected lines vs. Florida Panthers on Thursday:

Hyman-Tavares-Marner

Johnsson-Matthews-Kapanen

Marleau-Kadri-Nylander

Ennis-Lindholm-Brown

 

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Dermott-Ozhiganov

 

Andersen starts

Sparks