General manager Kyle Dubas was disappointed that Auston Matthews didn't tell the Leafs about his disorderly conduct charge before the information surfaced on Twitter earlier this week, but the team is insisting the development will not impact a decision on the captaincy.
"We're on course for what we were planning on doing the whole time," said head coach Mike Babcock. "Nothing has changed."
So, should we expect an announcement by Wednesday's opener against Ottawa?
"Maybe Wednesday," Babcock said with a grin. "I know it’s before December 25th, Christmas, I promise you."
There certainly seems to be some fatigue about the issue of the captaincy around the team.
"Regardless of what happens, we move forward as a group," said Morgan Rielly, who has served as an alternate captain the last three seasons. "Whatever comes our way, we're going to handle as a group. Whether it's about an individual, there's going to be guys there to support him. If it’s a team issue, we're going to deal with it as a team. So, I don't think it will change a lot, but it is what it is. You guys have been talking about it long enough so it will be good once it’s over."
Toronto hasn't had a captain since Dion Phaneuf was traded on Feb. 9, 2016.
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Rielly and John Tavares are now considered the top contenders to wear the 'C.' Tavares served as Islanders captain for five seasons, while Rielly is the most tenured current Leaf having grown up in the organization.
"It'd be a special honour," said Tavares. "Obviously, a special significance to it. We know about the history, the tradition and what it would mean to the city and the fan base and the organization and what you’re representing ... it’s something you can never take for granted."
Tavares, who turned 29 earlier this month, delivered as advertised in his first season with his hometown team, scoring 47 goals.
"He came in the first day and right since then he’s been leading by example," said Rielly. "The way he plays, the way he lives his life is quite admirable. He's a great person and we're very lucky to have a guy like that. He's one of those guys that leads without knowing it sometimes just by being himself."
"He's a guy that just comes to the rink every day and does all the right things on and off the ice," said Matthews. "He's a guy that kind of lets his play speak for himself. He's pretty, I guess, quiet in a way, but a guy who goes to work every day."
Tavares is almost always available to the media. He's often still doing interviews long after most players have left the room on practice days. Sometimes members of the media relations staff will try and end a scrum, but Tavares will wave them off and say he's happy to continue.
"I don't try and go out of my way," Tavares explained. "When I'm asked to speak, I just try to make sure I'm available. You understand the market and team and our fan base and how much people care about everyone and someone wants to ask you some questions – you get to play the game of hockey. I don’t think it’s that hard of a thing to do. And there's days that things go well and [days they don't] and all you can do is put your best foot forward and try to handle everything the best you can."
Tavares is one of the older players on a young team and that experience, especially wearing the 'C' with the Islanders, is valuable.
"I've learned a lot," he said. "You just realize how important it is to lean on the people around you. You don't have all the answers. You don't have all the solutions and you're going to make mistakes and have bad days and it's not always perfect. That's why having a real strong leadership group and overall strong locker room is so key for a team to have success."
"We have a real good leadership group," said Babcock. "We're going to end up with guys who don't wear letters that are a big part of our leadership group."
If named captain, Tavares can certainly lean on Rielly for assistance. The defenceman is only 25, but has lived through the highs and lows of the Toronto market since being drafted fifth overall in 2012.
"Being through everything he's kind of been through here, the type of player he is, how he carries himself on and off the ice, extremely well spoken and he's got so much respect from everyone in our locker room," said Tavares. "He plays such a vital role for us. He’s someone we all look up to."
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Matthews may not end up as captain, but the 22-year-old believes his relationship with the organization doesn't need to be repaired despite what happened this week.
"We're in good shape," he said. "I mean, obviously, I made a mistake. I’m taking ownership of it, but everybody makes mistakes and I think the conversations that we’ve had and just trying to work through it, you know? I'd say our relationship is just fine."
Matthews admits this has been a trying moment in his career and he's still trying to move past it.
"It hasn’t been easy, but it's something that I’m learning from and growing from so I'm trying to take it day by day," he said following Friday's practice. "I still got to come to work and do my job and do it well. I got to come to the rink, work hard and try and push that stuff aside and focus on my play on the ice."
How does he do that?
"I think just mentally block it out," he said.
Teammates have rallied around Matthews, who is entering his fourth NHL season.
"Auston is a pro," said Rielly. "He's a good person from a good family and he’s been dealing with it and as teammates you just want to support him."
"It's going to be a great learning experience for him," said Tavares. "He’s a great person and great teammate. We all have his back and we’re all there for him, whatever he needs."
What's that mean to Matthews?
"It means a lot," he said. "Those are the guys that you spend a lot of time with and they truly know you deep down, so that sort of stuff really means a lot."
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Tonight's game in Detroit will serve as a final preseason exam for 19-year-old defenceman Rasmus Sandin, who has exceeded expectations at camp and seems poised to crack the roster.
"I feel like I'm pretty close," Sandin said. "It's up to me. Those spots are open and I just have to play as good as I can ... I feel like I'm pretty close."
Sandin played less than 11 minutes in Wednesday's game, which featured all of Toronto's NHL regulars. Sandin should see the ice much more tonight as he and partner Martin Marincin project to be Toronto's top pair against the Red Wings.
"We put them in this game here tonight so they would play big, big minutes and so we could watch them together and see where it’s at," Babcock explained. "We have moved [Kevin] Gravel and [Justin] Holl to the other group so we see them against NHL players tomorrow and we get a read on them. We’re trying to figure out what we have in everybody."
The 27-year-old Marincin has been the perfect chaperone for Sandin in the preseason.
"Big safety," said Sandin when asked to describe the lanky Slovak. "I feel like if I do a mistake or something like that he can correct me a bit and help me fix those mistakes."
Is Marincin surprised Sandin has so much poise for a teenager?
"Oh wow," Marincin said with a smile. "Is he 19? Wow, that’s good ... Skilled, good skater so I like to play with him. We’re playing really fast, so that’s good."
Babcock has often pointed out that Marincin, who played 24 games with the Leafs last season, has the tools to succeed in the NHL but struggles with confidence issues.
"I'm feeling pretty good now," said Marincin, who seemed at ease during a rare media scrum. "I'm feeling best since I’m here, so just want to keep doing what I'm doing ... I've been here a long time so I know everything about this organization. It’s a great organization."
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Last year when he played with the Marlies in the AHL, Sandin's name was pronounced "San-din" but this year he's going with "San-deen." So, what happened?
"I haven't really cared too much," the 2018 first rounder said with a sheepish smile. "To be honest, I don't really care, but in Swedish it's San-deen so I guess that's the right way to pronounce it."
What does he think of his ‘Sandman’ nickname?
"I don't get bothered by that at all. Everyone started to call me that so I'm fine by that."
Has he heard of the Metallica song Enter Sandman, which came out years before he was born?
"It's a good song. I have heard it, for sure."
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Lines at Leafs morning skate:
This group will play in Detroit tonight
Timashov - Gaudet - Petan
Archibald - Brooks - Bracco
Clune - Engvall - Aberg
Agostino - Elynuik - Read
Sandin - Marincin
Harpur - Schmaltz
Kivihalme - Liljegren
Hutchinson
Woll
Lines at Leafs practice:
This group will play tomorrow in Toronto
Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Kapanen - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Moore
Korshkov - Gauthier / Spezza
Shore
Muzzin - Barrie
Rielly - Ceci
Gravel - Holl
Andersen
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September 28, 2019 at 04:18AM
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