Toronto Maple Leafs hockey is officially back. (shh, it doesn't matter that it's the pre-season.)
The Maple Leafs brought their ‘B’ squad to take on the Ottawa Senators on Sunday afternoon. Toronto won 4-3, with several players giving strong showings against an NHL-filled group.
Nick Robertson’s strong training camp continues
To no one’s surprise, Nick Robertson was among the best players on the ice in Ottawa. He was confident, took his chances when he had them, and found the back of the net off a heavy shot. The 24-year-old was also given time in every situation, on the power play and penalty kill (he played zero minutes on Toronto’s PK last season).
Robertson was always going to get this look. After all, he’s one of the players battling for a spot in the lineup. It was a matter of what he did with this opportunity, and thus far, Robertson has shown well.
“Exhibition games are — everyone takes it differently, but for me, I mean, a game's a game,” Robertson said on Saturday. “I've got to go out there and execute and play well. I don't take it lightly. I think it's a chance for me to get the rust off and get a feel for the game and prepare myself.”
When putting together a mock-up of Toronto’s opening night lineup, there appears to be one spot up for grabs (unless an injury pops up). And that’s beside Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz on the fourth line.
Maple Leafs' Nick Robertson Credits John Tavares For Lessons On Recovery
<a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/entering-training-camp-on-one-year-deal-nick-robertson-s-future-with-maple-leafs-murkier-than-ever">Nick Robertson</a> had a standout performance in the <a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a>’ first scrimmage on Saturday, scoring the only two goals of the session. While it may have been just a scrimmage, this kind of success is a welcome boost for the 24-year-old, who is fighting to earn a consistent spot in the lineup.<a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/entering-training-camp-on-one-year-deal-nick-robertson-s-future-with-maple-leafs-murkier-than-ever"></a>
With Max Domi not joining the top line at practice on Sunday, it could mean the Maple Leafs want to have an extended look with Matias Maccelli, Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. If that occurs, Domi ultimately moves to the third line with Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy, meaning the fourth line right wing spot is the only one to steal.
It’s only one game, but Robertson’s strong showing keeps him very much in the mix for that final place in the lineup. Other players, though, will have a say too.
Calle Jarnkrok's health on full display
If there’s anyone who’ll have a say about that final spot in the bottom six, it’s none other than Calle Jarnkrok.
What the veteran forward has over Robertson is a playoff showing under Berube. Jarnkrok played 12 games last spring, while still injured, he said on Friday (Jarnkrok missed a majority of the regular season after having sports hernia surgery). And those games were with Laughton and Lorentz on the fourth line.
Both are different players, though. Robertson is more of an offensive threat, while Jarnkrok is a defensive-minded forward who can sometimes bring offense.
Jarnkrok got the Maple Leafs on the board early in Sunday’s game with a nice cut to the front of the net before beating Linus Ullmark. The forward has looked strong since stepping onto the ice for training camp earlier this week, and Berube likes that he can trust him in all situations.
If Jarnkrok does beat Robertson for that final spot, it’ll be because of his defensive capabilities, tied together with some offense. However, it’s still early — a lot can change from now to Oct. 8.
“I'm all smiles right now. It's so much fun to be out there with no pain,” Jarnkrok said. “Can just focus on playing hockey and have some fun out there.”
Easton Cowan's quiet, but confident, showing
Easton Cowan was noticeable playing beside Robertsion and David Kampf. He added weight in the summer, and you can see the effect of that when going up against what was Ottawa’s ‘A’ squad.
Unless he knocks the socks off the Maple Leafs’ staff, I still believe the best place for him to start the year is with the Marlies. I don’t see the sense of rushing him into a full-time role with the big club. Allow him to gain experience and confidence in the AHL, and then, if injuries pop up, give him another taste of the NHL.
Nevertheless, it’s a good sign that Cowan’s taken a step in his game. I’m intrigued to see what type of opportunity Berube gives him in future pre-season games.
Other impressions from Game 1 of the pre-season
- Luke Haymes had a strong showing at both ends of the rink against the Senators. He showcased the offensive flair that allowed him to hit the ground running immediately in the AHL last season. But you also can’t help but notice his defensive capabilities, too.
- Aside from taking a couple of penalties, Ben Danford played well in his first-ever NHL pre-season game. He wants to round out his offensive game, and I noticed he took a few good chances at the Senators’ blue line. Ultimately, he’s headed back to the OHL’s Oshawa Generals at some point, but Danford looked calm and confident against NHL competition.
- I’ll admit, before tuning into this game, I wasn’t overly focused on what Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa do. Both are headed to the minors, and it’s possible Peksa even plays another season in the ECHL. However, both played well against Ottawa. Akhtyamov allowed just one goal on 17 shots. Peksa stopped 16 of 18 attempts. Peksa, in particular, was strong in the dying minutes when Ottawa had its net empty, so I thought I would include a note on both of the Russian netminders.
- Marshall Rifai and Michael Pezzetta got into it with the Senators quite a bit. That’s the game both of them play. Rifai, in particular, wears his heart on his sleeve, so it’s no surprise to see him take on a heavyweight in Zach MacEwen. He's a strong skater and is defensively responsible.
- You can’t forget about David Kampfpf. He set up Robertson with a nice touch before the young forward zipped it by Ullmark. Kampf is pretty consistent at what he does best: being a defensively reliable center who doesn’t put up many points. With the number of centers Toronto has, it’s likely he begins the year as a healthy scratch, unless he’s moved or there are injuries.
- William Villeneuve had a sneaky point shot squeak through traffic and into the back of the net on the power play. He contributed a ton on the man advantage with the Marlies last season. It’s difficult to predict where Villeneuve is in Toronto’s depth chart, but a goal against the Senators certainly helped his case when it comes to needing an offensive-minded call-up if there are injuries.
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