A busy stretch of games and illnesses have the Leafs prioritizing rest on Friday.
A busy stretch of games and illnesses have the Leafs prioritizing rest on Friday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were originally scheduled to hold a full practice session on Friday before their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. But more than an hour after their dramatic 6-5 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team changed their plans and players were given the day off.
"We were really on the fence about how to how to handle it," Keefe said of the initial indecision. "It’s a combination of rest and the way the illnesses have been creeping up on us. Some guys have been kind of playing through it and others have been unable to come to the rink."
TJ Brodie is the latest to be bit hard by the flu bug going around the team. He was not present during the team's morning skate on Saturday and is a game-time decision against the Penguins.
Matthew Knies has recovered enough to re-take his usual spot on the top line after missing the last two games with an illness. Ilya Samsonov and William Lagesson are other players who have been too ill to play over the last couple of weeks.
Keefe's admission that some players are playing through an illness justifies the reasoning to stay away from the rink on Friday. The NHL's collective bargaining agreement doesn't permit teams to just call up players if multiple players are ill without them going on injured reserve without sufficient roster space.
Toronto is about to play their sixth game in 10 days on Saturday, not leaving much room for scheduled practice days to begin with.
"Just thought a day away would be the best course for us. And that’s kind of been the rhythm, we’ve been in here." Keefe said. "We’ve been taking days off and having full morning skates and guys for the most part have responded well to that. So we figured we’d stay with it with a practice day coming here now on Monday."
Typically when the Leafs practice the day before a game, the morning skate is optional. But when they don't practice, the team takes part in a full morning skate session and does their best to replicate some of the practice in those particular sessions.
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