TORONTO รขโฌโ As the Tampa Bay Lightning welcome back two critical components to their deadly power-play, the Toronto Maple Leafs are countering with Calle Jรยคrnkrok.
Coach Craig Berube is inserting the responsible winger for Mondayรขโฌs key divisional match because he was an extra penalty killer and some defensive prowess on his fourth line.
But Jรยคrnkrokรขโฌs trip down from the press box means someone else must go up.
And that would be Nick Robertson, again.
Robertson enjoyed his best stretch of NHL action last month, producing nicely in the Maple Leafsรขโฌ top six. First, he got dropped to the fourth line in favour of Easton Cowan and Max Domi.
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What does Berube think of the wingerรขโฌs play?
รขโฌลWell, itรขโฌs dropped off. And I talked to Nicky this morning,รขโฌ Berube said. รขโฌลSome of itรขโฌs ice time, obviously. And he was playing in the top six, and he was doing a good job. And then you make changes.
รขโฌลBut I have all the confidence that heรขโฌll get it back. You know, to me, heรขโฌs lost a little bit of his jump and his tenacity he plays with. But at the same time, thatรขโฌs a little bit ice time and getting the opportunity.รขโฌ
What comes first, the jump or the ice time?
In Robertsonรขโฌs world, time is a flat circle.
Third-liner Pontus Holmberg was nudged into Scotiabank Arenaรขโฌs centre ice to lead the Lightningรขโฌs stretch ahead of his revenge match in Toronto.
รขโฌลI was ready to come back, actually, but something happened,รขโฌ Holmberg said afterwards, smiling in the visitorsรขโฌ room. รขโฌลRight now, Iรขโฌm happy to be here. Itรขโฌs a new start for me.รขโฌ
GM Brad Treliving opted not to qualify the defensively responsible 26-year-old as a restricted free agent, and the rival Bolts inked him to a two-year deal at $1.55 million per season.
รขโฌลWow, I love that kid,รขโฌ coach Jon Cooper gushes. รขโฌลThe puck, he protects it like you canรขโฌt take it from him. And so, when you need to kill another teamรขโฌs momentum, just put it on his stick, and heรขโฌll do it all by himself. Heรขโฌs a competitor. Heรขโฌs big. Heรขโฌs strong. And heรขโฌs a foundation of a really good line for us รขโฌโ that may not score every single night, but they can tilt the ice.รขโฌ
The mild-mannered Swedeรขโฌs English has improved, and Holmberg has quickly endeared himself to his new teammates.
รขโฌลThey had the rookie party,รขโฌ Cooper said. รขโฌลI always ask who the MVP is. He might have got some votes.
รขโฌลI guess they had fun. He was really fun. Heรขโฌs really fit in well with us, Iรขโฌll tell you that.รขโฌ
Holmberg says he still stays in touch with some of his old Leafs mates and is enjoying the Florida weather.
รขโฌลI relax a lot. Walking a little bit more,รขโฌ he says. รขโฌลItรขโฌs going to be fun to play against them.รขโฌ
Maple Leafs make another power-play tweak
Whatรขโฌs old is new again for the Maple Leafsรขโฌ infuriating power-play.
In the latest attempt to reverse the fortunes of the leagueรขโฌs 30th-best man-advantage (14.1 per cent), Berube has gone back to his original PP1 personnel from training camp.
Defenceman Morgan Rielly is back to quarterbacking after runs of Auston Matthews and Oliver Ekman-Larsson up top failed to yield results.
Matthew Knies goes back in for rookie Cowan, who had a shot at being the top unitรขโฌs facilitator from the flank.
รขโฌลI went back to this unit. Looking at some video and going back to some numbers and stuff early in the year, these guys were actually pretty good, and they created a lot of opportunities,รขโฌ Berube explained. รขโฌลDidnรขโฌt go in the net. And a lot of times, if it doesnรขโฌt go in the net, you make changes and go from there. So, that was my reasoning for that.รขโฌร
How about a more extreme tweak? Blowing the talent-loaded PP1 and creating two balanced units and having them compete for 5-on-4 ice time?
รขโฌลWhat you brought up is a valid point, and Iรขโฌve definitely thought about it,รขโฌ Berube conceded.
The coach is not there quite yet, even with the Leafs mustering two power-play goals in their past 11 games.
รขโฌลWell, confidence is a big thing,รขโฌ Berube said. รขโฌลWhat happens is, itรขโฌs not going well, and you stop just being direct. You stop shooting, and youรขโฌre not going to get anything out of it then.
รขโฌลWe got to get back to just simplifying and shooting pucks and being good around the net. Thatรขโฌs how we did scored last year. Those big guys around the net and getting pucks in there was the DNA of our (24.8 per cent) power-play last year.รขโฌ
Lightning lose Vasilevskiy but get double boost of all-stars
Tampaรขโฌs all-world goaltender, Andrei Vasilevskiy, was moved to injured reserve and has been ruled out for both Monday in Toronto and Tuesday in Montreal.
Just the latest in a long list of injuries that have besieged the Atlantic Division.
Still, Cooper is hopeful that Vasilevskiy could be available later in the road trip, which ends Saturday on Long Island.
In the meantime, the crease belongs to backup Jonas Johansson.
รขโฌลJ.J.รขโฌs been lights out, too,รขโฌ said Hedman, who only returned from his injury Saturday. รขโฌลWe have full belief in him.รขโฌ
Shutdown defenceman Ryan McDonagh skated on his own and without equipment, so he still needs time to recover.
รขโฌลThatรขโฌs a bonus for us,รขโฌ said Cooper, flashing a grin. Some much welcome health.
รขโฌลEven through our Cup runs and all that, not since 2017 has this happened to us. And so, thereรขโฌs a lot of money sitting in the stands. But itรขโฌs encouraging to see the young guys that have come in and filled the gaps for us.รขโฌ
One-Timers:ย Lefty Dakota Mermis comes in for righty Philippe Myers on the Leafsรขโฌ third pairing. Berube says Mermis is comfortable playing his off side and he wants to manage both Myers and Mermisรขโฌs usageรขโฌยฆ. Chris Tanev continues to skate with the group. Heรขโฌll be evaluated again Wednesdayรขโฌยฆ. Despite losing three straight, the Lightning lead the Atlantic Division and are four points up on Torontoรขโฌยฆ. Hedman: รขโฌลWe havenรขโฌt seen them without Mitch yet, so thatรขโฌll be interesting to see.รขโฌ
Maple Leafs projected lineup Monday vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Knies รขโฌโ Matthews รขโฌโ Domi
Cowan รขโฌโ Tavares รขโฌโ Nylander
Joshua รขโฌโ Roy รขโฌโ McMann
Lorentz รขโฌโ Laughton รขโฌโ Jรยคrnkrok
Rielly รขโฌโ Ekman-Larsson
McCabe รขโฌโ Stecher
Benoit รขโฌโ Mermis
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