“Whether or not it’s at five-on-five or on the ability play, we’ve not began to click on but… We’ll.”

After observe on Friday, head coach Sheldon Keefe mentioned Wayne Simmonds getting into the lineup on Saturday in Winnipeg, Nicolas Aube-Kubel sitting out, the upcoming five-game street journey, and his staff’s efficiency via 5 video games (3-2-0).

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Observe Strains – October 21

Strains at Leafs observe

Bunting – Malgin* – Marner
Robertson – Tavares – Nylander
Aston-Reese – Kerfoot – Jarnkrok
Engvall – Kampf – Simmonds
Aube-Kubel

Rielly – Brodie
Sandin – Holl
Giordano – Mete

Upkeep: Matthews*@TSN_Edge

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) October 21, 2022

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Is it only a upkeep day right now for Auston Matthews?

Keefe: Yeah, we give him these days all through the season. He performed plenty of minutes yesterday. He acquired just a little bit banged up, too. It was a reasonably straightforward one to provide him. He was in, acquired his work in, and was doing his factor within the fitness center preparing for tomorrow.

Wayne Simmonds was saying that Matthews by no means complains regardless of all of what he goes via. What does it say about him that he’s capable of hold going?

Keefe: It’s actually spectacular for a man that attracts a lot consideration from the opposition. We now have talked about it over time that he hasn’t drawn many penalties. I don’t know should you may discover many examples of when he’s complained or been emotional about it. He simply performs the sport and permits the referees to name the sport as they see it. Possibly the coach has a number of issues to say now and again, however Auston himself simply performs and takes care of what he can handle. He doesn’t search for any further assist or something like that.

The calls towards him final night time have been undoubtedly warranted, and there have been most likely a few others in there that would’ve been known as along with that. It was a delicate and sneaky cross-check from Benn on Auston there — a tough one to search out or to name — however these are those that the league doesn’t need to see. As a rule, these sorts of issues could be known as in the event that they have been seen.

Once more, he simply performed via it the remainder of the sport, and he finally ends up making the large play to win us the sport in time beyond regulation.

What made you need to give Wayne Simmonds a glance tomorrow night time in Winnipeg?

Keefe: We don’t need him to sit down too lengthy now that we now have the pliability to maneuver guys out and in. I believed Wayne had a superb camp with us. There are a variety of men — whether or not it’s Wayne, Kyle Clifford, or guys that haven’t performed with us which might be down with the Marlies — that had good camps.

With Wayne and Kyle Clifford particularly, they’re guys that have been essential components of our staff, our tradition, and our group. Having Wayne up right here and having the pliability with our lineup and roster, you will need to get him concerned.

What’s the message to Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who’s new and is looking for his approach across the staff?

Keefe: I believe he has carried out some good issues for us. Bodily, within the video games he has performed, he has just about led the way in which for us. We like that about his recreation. I believe there are different areas that simply haven’t fairly come collectively right here but. That’s what we talked about.

His popping out of the lineup is frankly much less about him and extra about desirous to get Wayne concerned. On the identical time, my message to Kubie is that he has not carried out sufficient to the place he’s not a part of that dialog by way of popping out to make room for Wayne.

That’s sort of the place we’re at. Everybody right here is essential, and we’re going to want everyone to be at their greatest. That features Simmer, who’s going to go in.

While you get your alternative once more, proceed to get higher.

You now have the power to deliver further our bodies with you on the roster. What’s the worth of that, and would possibly you deliver some further guys with you on the street journey?

Keefe: It’s good to have, particularly if you exit on the street and also you head out West. Getting guys is a problem. I believe it’s simply superb to get extra individuals concerned as a result of you recognize you will want greater than those you began the season with. It seems it was fairly fast that we wanted guys. That’s the actuality of it.

With Wayne, we have been speaking about not letting him sit round for too lengthy and getting him in for some motion. We’re going to want guys. Having extra individuals round and enjoying is nice and wholesome for our staff.

On the identical time, it’s an additional layer of competitors and accountability to everybody’s play. That’s essential. We nonetheless haven’t discovered our groove and rhythm as a staff, so it makes it just a little bit simpler for me to make a few of these selections.

How pleased are you with how Ilya Samsonov has slot in and carried out?

Keefe: He has been nice. It isn’t simply how he has carried out, nevertheless it’s how he has put within the work and his demeanor across the facility coming into a brand new staff. I believe he’s actually beginning to earn the respect and the belief of the group. Guys are beginning to get a way of his character and he’s becoming in very well that approach. We are able to’t assist however be actually inspired and optimistic about what he has dropped at us up to now.

Wins and losses get magnified early within the season, nevertheless it appears like so much has occurred round this staff within the first week and a half of the season. Is it the character of a Canadian market?

Keefe: It’s the nature of the market. It’s the approach that it goes, however it’s also as a result of there are excessive expectations of our staff. There are excessive expectations for us internally, too, however we now have to maintain issues in perspective. We all know it’s an 82-game grind. We simply must hold getting higher on daily basis.

What have you ever preferred concerning the staff up to now? There was plenty of criticism from the surface, however what have you ever preferred about what you might have seen via 5?

Keefe: The three video games that we now have gained are very tight video games the place we now have to be very disciplined or resilient and reply to moments the place issues go mistaken. Our staff has proven that. That’s what you’re hoping would occur with a staff as skilled as ours. That has been actually optimistic for me.

We now have discovered methods to get six factors right here even if we haven’t discovered our rhythm fairly but. Whether or not it’s at five-on-five or on the ability play, we haven’t began to click on but. We’ll. We now have nice confidence that that is the case. It isn’t in contrast to final season. That ended up being probably the greatest offensive groups within the league with plenty of guys that had profession highs. We anticipate that we are going to get there once more.

It’s a course of. We now have to be affected person with it. We now have to only hold making an attempt to get higher on daily basis.

What are you wanting ahead to with the following 5 video games on the street?

Keefe: It comes at a superb time early within the season when the fellows can get away. A five-game journey is a protracted one for certain, however we’re going to nice cities. It’s a good alternative for the group to be collectively, have enjoyable, and compete on the street. I believe it’s a actually good and wholesome factor.

We had our journey to Gravenhurst, and that was a superb one for us, too, however this one is within the thick of the season. When it comes to competing each second night time or so and touring to completely different cities collectively, it’s a actually good and wholesome factor for our group.

Is there any readability on Jake Muzzin’s standing? There have been some experiences that it’s wanting prefer it’s long-term.

Keefe: I haven’t had any updates both approach. I believe it is perhaps right now that he’s alleged to have one other follow-up appointment. There could also be extra after that, however for now, we’re going to proceed to let issues quiet down for him and get a greater concept of the place he’s at.