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MONTREAL — A sequence of saves from Jakub Dobes, when his Montreal Canadiens needed it most, as they were killing a penalty after losing all the momentum theyâ€d built up through the first 25 minutes of play against the Buffalo Sabres: first on a Tage Thompson breakaway, then on a sharp-angle shot from Rasmus Dahlin, then with his paddle down to break up a two-on-one, and finally with his skate to stifle a jam play from Peyton Krebs.

The 24-year-old made 30 stops on Monday, but those four were most timely.

Without them, the Canadiens wouldnâ€t have beaten the Sabres 4-2 to complete a 3-1-0 Bell-Centre stand that improved their record to 5-2-0 on the season.

They stacked up a bunch of small plays that proved big in the end. There was Alex Carrierâ€s first-period stand at the offensive blue line, where he took a hit, held his position, stepped on the puck to freeze it — as three Sabres attacked him — before kicking it over to Alex Newhook, who sprung Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen on the break that led to Montrealâ€s first goal. And there were all the ones Jake Evans, Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher made to get the Canadiens back to their game before Evans scored an empty-net goal captain Nick Suzukiâ€s desperate shot block created.

Lane Hutson, who scored what proved to be the winning goal earlier praised Carrier for his intelligence on Kapanenâ€s goal.

And then Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said this about Evans, Anderson and Gallagher: “Jakeyâ€s line, to me, is a momentum line. I thought they spent a lot of time in the offensive zone. It didnâ€t start from pretty plays through the neutral zone, and we need that. Especially at home, when you have matchups, and you can have a line that can play against other guys†top line and also bring momentum… I feel like their simplicity helps my matchup.â€

St. Louis wasnâ€t asked about Dobes, but heâ€d have acknowledged the goaltenderâ€s simple efficiency as a major factor in this win.

Dobes wasnâ€t exactly the same Dobes we saw shoot out to a 5-0-0 start to his NHL career last season. That guy was electric, he was all over his crease, he was scrambling to make both the easy and hard saves look hard and demonstrating a level of desperation that quickly endeared him to his teammates.

The guy we saw on Monday was better. And he coupled his built-in combativeness with some technical proficiency to steady the Canadiens right as they were losing the plot.

“I feel like I like a lot of things that weâ€ve worked on,†Dobes said. “I feel like Iâ€m really compact this season, and I donâ€t open up as much as I used to in the past. I feel like the technical thing, maybe you guys donâ€t see it, but I feel like Iâ€m way better than last year. Last year, I felt like I was a little bit scrambly, but this year I feel like Iâ€m more compact and subtle and just feel a little bit better than last year for sure.â€

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His confidence is swelling at the right time, and itâ€s keeping the Canadiens rolling and offering starter Samuel Montembeault time to redeem some of his own confidence.

Itâ€s been rocked a bit by a slow start to the season, with Montembeault allowing 13 goals through four starts and failing to make the timely saves the Canadiens have needed in their only two losses.

Prior to Mondayâ€s game, St. Louis said Dobes deserved to start.

Following Mondayâ€s game, itâ€s easy to conclude Dobes deserves to start more. Heâ€s 3-0-0 and sporting a .939 save percentage after allowing only five goals on 82 shots, and that was after he didnâ€t allow a single goal in the pre-season. Riding the hot hand while allowing Montembeaultâ€s to warm back up seems logical.

Stimulating competition between both goaltenders does, too, and St. Louis said earlier in the day he was for it.

“I think itâ€s a competitive league,†the coach said. “Youâ€re always going to have internal competition… We feel comfortable with both goalies, but youâ€re always going to have that internal competition, no matter what position you play. Players want more.â€

And St. Louis needs his players pushing for more.

Dobes did it from post-to-post on Monday, and heâ€ll need to keep that up. Especially with a compressed schedule that wouldâ€ve already forced the Canadiens to rely on him more than they did last season.

Down the stretch, they relied almost exclusively on Montembeault.

The Becancour, Que., native ended up appearing in 62 regular-season games before tearing his groin in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thereâ€s a need to manage Montembeaultâ€s minutes more this season, and Dobes is enabling them to do it.

“We have 82 games, we have two good goalies,†said St. Louis. “Will both be on top of their game all year? No, so you manage it. You manage their workloads and their performance.

“Thatâ€s what weâ€re doing.â€

It would be a lot harder right now if Dobes wasnâ€t stepping up to the task.

But the Ostrava, Cze., native did that on Monday, and heâ€s earning trust he can be used more regularly.

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For Marco Penge, what a difference a year has made.

On Sunday, Penge held off several challengers to win the Spanish Open and punch his ticket to the 2026 Masters and Open Championship. The 27-year-old Englishman has won three times on the DP World Tour this season, earned his PGA Tour card and appears to be headed for bigger things.

But 12 months ago, he was in the midst of a free fall. Penge had descended to No. 440 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and faced a career-defining, five-foot birdie putt at the Genesis Championship in Korea. Had Penge missed, he would have missed the cut and lost his DP World Tour card. He rolled it in and finished 22nd to narrowly keep his playing privileges.

But Penge’s year-long odyssey was only just beginning. He played last year under the knowledge that the DP World Tour was investigating him for breaching betting regulations. Penge admitted he placed bets on golf majors and the Ryder Cup, events he wasn’t playing in. He claims he didn’t know he wasn’t allowed to make small wagers on tournaments he wasn’t playing in. Regardless, the DP World Tour suspended Penge for three months in December.

He returned and won the Hainan Classic in April. An ADHD diagnosis in June, he said, helped him better understand himself and the type of training regimen he needed to follow. He won again at the Danish Golf Championship in August and yet again in Spain on Sunday.

Penge is headed to the PGA Tour as one of the year’s 10 best DP World Tour players who were not already exempt. And yet, as often has been the case in the fractured professional golf landscape, there have been unsubstantiated rumors in some corners that Penge might instead make the jump to LIV Golf, as Tom McKibbin did earlier this year.

On Sunday, Penge was asked about his future and whether LIV Golf is an option.

“I’m going to America tomorrow with my wife to find a place for when we move in January,” Penge said, via Ten Golf. “So as far as I’m aware, I’m playing the PGA Tour next year and hopefully I can have a great season and finish in the [FedEx Cup] Playoffs there and then come back to the DP World Tour and play the rest of the season here. Hopefully, I’ll have a great season and finish in the Playoffs there and then come back to the DP World Tour and play the rest of the season here.

“I love playing golf, and I’d play every week if my team let me. I want to be playing against the best players in the world, and I want to be playing national opens like this. When you win a couple of national opens, that’s something that I’ll never forget. It’s something my family will never forget. That’s my plan.”

In less than a year, Penge has gone from almost falling into the golf hinterlands to No. 31 in the world.

“It’s hard to believe where I was eight months ago to where I am today,” he said. “To do that [get to 31st in the world] on the DP World Tour, where the points are slightly less, is incredible [but] I’m not the sort of person to big myself up.”

The PGA Tour is next. At least, that’s the plan.

Oct 12, 2025, 01:20 PM ET

MADRID — Marco Penge beat fellow Englishman Daniel Brown in a playoff to win the Spanish Open on Sunday and secure a spot in next year’s Masters and Open Championship.

Penge relinquished a four-shot lead but came out on top with a birdie on the first playoff hole to win his third European tour title this year.

“Dan and Joel [Girrbach] played great today. They were holing putts, and I just couldn’t really get it in the hole. It felt like I was really up against it,” Penge said. “But I felt like I managed myself really well, and I actually think tee to green, I feel like I played really solid. It doesn’t matter the putts; I think I used them all yesterday, but obviously holing that one there was worth the wait.”

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It was the first time the national tournament offered the winner an automatic spot for the Masters and The Open.

“It’s crazy,” Penge said about playing in the Masters. “It’s a golf course that I’ve always wanted to play, because I feel like my game sets up really good for it.”

Penge, who shot a 1-over 72 on Sunday, finished tied with Brown at 15 under for the tournament.

Brown, whose 31st birthday was on Saturday, started five shots back but made a run after shooting a 4-under 67 in the final round. That was despite dealing with a right shoulder ailment that required treatment during the back nine. He forced a playoff with a birdie on the final hole.

The 27-year-old Penge also won at the Danish Golf Championship and the Hainan Classic.

Girrbach (69) was four shots back to start the day. The Swiss player finished third at 14 under for the tournament.

Home favorite Jon Rahm, who was seeking a record fourth Spanish Open title, wasn’t in contention at the start of the final round, but he closed with a 6-under 65 to finish in a tie for ninth.

Shane Lowry, who like Rahm was back in action after helping Europe win the Ryder Cup in New York last month, didn’t make the cut at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in the Spanish capital.

MADRID — Marco Penge beat fellow Englishman Daniel Brown in a playoff to win the Spanish Open on Sunday and secure a spot in next year’s Masters and Open Championship.

Penge relinquished a four-shot lead but came out on top with a birdie on the first playoff hole to win his third European tour title this year.

“Dan and Joel (Girrbach) played great today, they were holing putts and I just couldn’t really get it in the hole, it felt like I was really up against it,†Penge said. “But I felt like I managed myself really well and I actually think tee to green, I feel like I played really solid. It doesn’t matter the putts, I think I used them all yesterday, but obviously holing that one there was worth the wait.â€

It was the first time the national tournament offered the winner an automatic spot for the Masters and the British Open.

“It’s crazy,†Penge said about playing in the Masters. “It’s a golf course that I’ve always wanted to play, because I feel like my game sets up really good for it.â€

Penge, who shot a 1-over 72 on Sunday, finished tied with Brown at 15 under for the tournament.

Brown, whose 31st birthday was on Saturday, started five shots back but he made a run after shooting a 4-under 67 in the final round. That was despite dealing with a right shoulder ailment that required treatment during the back nine. He forced a playoff with a birdie on the final hole.

The 27-year-old Penge also won at the Danish Golf Championship and the Hainan Classic.

Girrbach (69) was four shots back to start the day. The Swiss player finished third at 14 under for the tournament.

Home-crowd favorite Jon Rahm, who was seeking a record fourth Spanish Open title, wasn’t really in contention at the start of the final round, but he closed with a 6-under 65 to finish in a tie for ninth.

Shane Lowry, who like Rahm was back in action after helping Europe win the Ryder Cup in New York last month, didn’t make the cut at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in the Spanish capital.

WWE Crown Jewel: Perth was a noticeable improvement on the previous month’s Wrestlepalooza, according to those at ESPN. Reviewing the Australian event, ESPN’s Andreas Hale gave Crown Jewel: Perth a B grade with the following explanation.

“A show that stumbled out of the gates with a relatively tame street fight and a far too brief affair between womenâ€s champions was rescued by an absolutely stellar match between Cena and Styles that put an excellent bookend to their rivalry. Rollins finally getting his comeuppance against Rhodes — by any means necessary — and the womenâ€s tag match were both strong and anchored a memorable bounce back for WWE after a middling Wrestlepalooza.â€

Hale added that John Cena Vs. AJ Styles was the clear standout match of the night. He described it as “a love letter to wrestling” and awarded the match an A grade. The bout saw both men pay tribute to past rivals in what was Cena’s final match competing outside of the United States.

Hale had previously given Wrestlepalooza a C rating, criticizing the show’s lack of surprises and failure to deliver on its promised hype. Many saw this as a bad omen for WWE’s partnership with ESPN and believed that a more favorable review would have been given.

With Crown Jewel: Perth in the history books, WWE’s attention will now turn to Survivor Series: WarGames in November. It remains to be seen what ESPN makes of the show, the first of the ‘Big 5’ that will be part of the ESPN deal.

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A second-half equalizer from Folarin Balogun earned the U.S. men’s national team a 1-1 draw against Ecuador in Austin, Texas on Friday night.

Despite the home side finding themselves down 1-0 at Q2 Stadium after a 24th-minute goal from Enner Valencia, the U.S. impressed with its attacking momentum in the early stages of the exhibition. Eager to alter the scoreline, the USMNT finished the first half with 66% possession and six shots, but remained scoreless by the midway break after some clever saves from Ecuador goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez.

In the second half, the Americans continued their pressure in the final third.

Coupled with the introductions of some attack-minded names such as Diego Luna and Alex Freeman, the U.S. ramped up its efforts, eventually leading to Balogun’s equalizer in the 71st minute. Seeking a win, manager Mauricio Pochettino then brought on Christian Pulisic and Haji Wright.

Nonetheless, Ecuador impressed with their defensive poise and held onto the 1-1 scoreline by the final whistle.

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Looking ahead in their ongoing FIFA World Cup preparation, Pochettino and his U.S. roster will close out this month’s international break with another friendly on Tuesday against Australia.

Manager rating out of 10

Mauricio Pochettino, 7 — It’s not a win and it’s not ideal to be down 1-0 so early on, but Pochettino did well to create a dynamic approach with plenty of quick buildups in his 3-4-2-1 formation. Were it not for some highlight-worthy stops from Galíndez, the USMNT could have arguably been the ones that took the initial lead in the friendly. It’s the little details that Pochettino will need to work on with his roster, which will need to be more efficient with their lengthy list of dead-ball situations and possession, but against a dangerous opponent, Friday was a satisfactory performance.

Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best; 5 = average)

GK Matt Freese, 6 — There shouldn’t be too much criticism for Valencia’s goal, but in a match where small details were the difference, Freese was unable to tighten up in one of the most crucial moments of the friendly. That said, he provided a good high claim and save in the second half.

DF Tim Ream, 7 — Reliable with his duels on the ground and in the air, the 38-year-old captain worked well in the altered defensive setup. At the moment, a starting spot is his to lose.

DF Chris Richards, 5 — How do you rate a defender who was a step behind Valencia for the goal, but also nearly scored off a corner minutes later? An up-and-down game for the member of the backline that was shown a yellow but was also a threat off corners.

DF Miles Robinson, 7 — Robinson looked comfortable in the back three, and regardless of an unlucky yellow that he earned, that did little to halt his aggressiveness and occasional movement forward.

Folarin Balogun’s 71st-minute goal earned the USMNT a 1-1 draw against Ecuador on Friday night. Aric Becker/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

MF Max Arfsten, 6 — Defensively average, but creative going forward, Arfsten should continue to get minutes in the 3-4-2-1 formation. However, he should be surpassed by Antonee Robinson, once healthy.

MF Tanner Tessmann, 6 — An important midfield connector, but also someone who won’t be stealing any headlines after occasionally looking quiet in the heart of the XI. Still has more to prove, even with his hockey assist.

MF Aidan Morris, 8 — Earning his first start in almost a full year, Morris was highly involved and was constantly buzzing around the midfield with his ability to progress the ball. A step forward for the 23-year-old, who also showcased some vital tackles.

MF Tim Weah, 7 — Playing as a “fake wing back” (as he put it pre-game to TNT), Weah made exciting runs on the right flank and also stepped up with a couple of shots of his own. Versatile with his positioning, the Marseille player didn’t seem to mind being in a deeper spot.

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AM Weston McKennie, 7 — The Juventus man should have had an assist late in first half, and as the game progressed, he became even more involved in the buildup of clever plays. In one of the most high-pressing roles, McKennie looked effective.

AM Malik Tillman, 8 — Connected well with Balogun, made rapid connections in the frontline and midfield, and eventually provided a well-earned assist by the second half.

FW Folarin Balogun, 9 — Balogun worked exceedingly hard in physical battles against Ecuador. Regardless of this, he still made decisive runs in the final third, provided threatening shots, and slotted in the equalizer for the USMNT in the second half.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

AM Diego Luna, 6 — Looked eager to be involved in the attack and provided a shot on target.

DF Alex Freeman, 7 — Able to win the ball back in crucial spots and made pacy sprints down the right flank.

DF Mark McKenzie, NR — Provided two clearances and blocked a shot.

FW Christian Pulisic, NR —Pochettino noted pre-game that the AC Milan player had an ankle issue, which limited his time on Friday.

MF Cristian Roldan, NR — Rapidly connected 10 of 12 passes in the final stages of the game.

FW Haji Wright, NR — Quickly provided a couple of shots in his cameo appearance.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Mike Sullivan has another souvenir to add to an already large personal hockey collection after being presented the game puck following his first victory as coach of the New York Rangers.

It might not match the two Stanley Cup titles he won during his 10-year tenure as the Pittsburgh Penguins coach, but the significance of the 4-0 victory over Buffalo wasn’t lost on Sullivan on Thursday night.

“It’s humbling,” said Sullivan, who is from Massachusetts and the only U.S.-born coach to win at least two Cups.

“I’ve said this on a number of occasions since I got the job that it’s an incredible honor to be the head coach of the New York Rangers, a franchise that has such history to it,” Sullivan added. “It’s just a privilege that I don’t take for granted.”

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The victory was the 480th of Sullivan’s career and came two days after the Rangers opened with a 3-0 home loss to the Penguins. Sullivan was fired by Pittsburgh after missing the playoffs for a third straight season, before almost immediately landing in New York after the Rangers fired Peter Laviolette.

For Sullivan, he’s getting a fresh start in a familiar place after spending four seasons as a Rangers assistant under John Tortorella. And he’s tasked with the responsibility of providing structure and discipline to a team that unraveled both on off the ice in missing the playoffs last year.

The win over Buffalo was but a start for Sullivan, who got in a laugh recounting how newly appointed captain J.T. Miller presented him the puck.

“[Miller] made a joke about how long our video meetings are,” Sullivan said. “But they’ll continue to be long until we get on the same page.”

Though there’s still much to work on, Sullivan was impressed by his team’s response after a lackadaisical outing against Pittsburgh, which was sealed by two empty-net goals.

On Thursday, the Rangers outplayed the Sabres through much of the first period in building a 1-0 lead on Alex Lafreniere’s goal 11:43 in. Coupled with Igor Shersterkin’s 37-save outing, the Rangers closed strong with three goals in the final five minutes.

“I’m excited about the group of players that we have here. I think there’s a certain enthusiasm around the team right now since Day 1 of training camp,” Sullivan said. “It’s tangible, we can feel it. And I think we’re building a relationship with the players right now that will be meaningful moving forward.”

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MONTREAL — Joe Veleno took off down the wing and hit the speed burst button right as he was crossing the offensive blue line. The television broadcast clocked him double-clutching from second gear to fourth, going from 26 kilometres per hour up to 34 to open up the space that might enable him to do something special.

Instead, Veleno just did what the situation called for. He had started the play one-on-two and only marginally improved his odds after stepping on the gas, so when he got into that space, he used it to just get a simple shot on net.

This five second sequence was among several solid ones Veleno had in Montrealâ€s final exhibition game. It was the type of sequence that secured his job with the Canadiens months after he signed a one-year deal with them worth a fraction more than the league minimum.

That $900,000-deal came 15 days after unrestricted free agency started, and all it really represented was a lifeline for the former first-round pickâ€s NHL career.

Veleno came to Canadiens camp having to grab that lifeline and pull himself up, and the way he managed to do that was by doing exactly what the game asked of him each time he stepped on the ice.

“I thought he was excellent tonight,†said coach Martin St. Louis after the Canadiens lost 3-1 to the Ottawa Senators.

The game sheet read: Joe Veleno: zero goals, zero assists, zero points, even.

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But the game sheet doesnâ€t track calculated decisions that increase the percentage of your line winning a shift.

Itâ€s what St. Louis has been emphasizing to the Canadiens for the better part of a year.

Itâ€s what he talked about with reporters who attended Saturday morningâ€s skate, and also what he repeated following Saturday nightâ€s game.

“I think they understand what weâ€re looking for,†said the coach after he was asked in the morning about the endgame for fringe players still pushing for roster spots with the Canadiens. “I think we communicate that every day in the kind of meetings we have. We do video, weâ€re not showing highlight reels; weâ€re talking about the details of the game, the ordinary things that you have to do over and over. Every now and then you get extraordinary things, but itâ€s not one extraordinary thing thatâ€s going to get you inside the door. Itâ€s how many ordinary actions can you do that helps the collective game and that raises the percentages of us being successful knowing that youâ€re going to have those moments every now and then that youâ€re going to do an extraordinary thing. But you canâ€t just look for extraordinary things. The game is not like that. It happens, but I donâ€t know when itâ€s going to give you that.â€

What the game always gives you are situations that force you to make quick calculations. And what it forces you to calculate is just how much risk you can afford to take.

Veleno consistently making those calculations correctly throughout camp pumped oxygen into his NHL career.

If he continues to make them correctly as the season rolls along, heâ€ll go from surviving to thriving in a way the Detroit Red Wings hoped he would when they selected him 30th overall in the 2018 Draft.

It may have taken the 25-year-old 306 NHL games to truly understand what it takes to make his mark in this league, but at least he figured it out.

“I think experience is probably the biggest thing, youâ€re going to need to learn certain things, in terms of details, knowing where youâ€re going to be, knowing guys’ tendencies, who youâ€re playing against and who youâ€re playing with,†Veleno said. “It comes naturally once you get this many games under your belt, so Iâ€ve really grown from my experiences.â€

But many of these young Canadiens have grown from their experiences.

If that wasnâ€t apparent through this final pre-season game — which Brendan Gallagher qualified as one in which the Canadiens didnâ€t have “A-execution or A-effort†— itâ€s been patently obvious through the rest of their camp.

And camp has been an extension of what we saw from the Canadiens through the end of 2024 and opening months of 2025, with the whole team embracing detailed, “ordinary hockey,†and maturing.

“You could tell there was a switch from December on and it just got really contagious,†said St. Louis. “You make a push, get into the playoffs, get through that first round, you understand how much thatâ€s important. When camp started, we didnâ€t start over. Thereâ€s a continuity. The guys really took that to heart. We started camp with that kind of mindset.â€

The Canadiens are finishing camp with it, too.

Even the guys not finishing camp with the Canadiens displayed to what extent theyâ€ve adopted the mindset St. Louis wants them to have.

Cuts will be announced Sunday. Theyâ€re almost certain to include Florian Xhekaj, Owen Beck and Adam Engstrom. And while all three of those players would be justified to feel disappointed about their dreams not being realized, St. Louis pointed out they shouldnâ€t feel as though they failed.

Engstrom did anything but fail. His only path to a job on the Canadiens†blue line was an injury to one of the players locked into one, but he didnâ€t allow that to stop him from proving heâ€s ready for one right now.

“Heâ€s a gamer,†said St. Louis. “Heâ€s going to play (NHL) hockey. He played a good game tonight, showed he has everything it takes to play in this league. Wonâ€t be surprised if he has a long career.â€

No one should be surprised if it starts for the young Swede at some point this season.

Beck has already played 13 games at this level, and his 14th will come soon enough.

Xhekajâ€s first might come a little further down the road, but any doubt that heâ€ll play it sooner than anyone thought he would when he was drafted — 101st overall in 2023 — was erased by his performance in this camp.

Still, the details must be sharpened, and the calculations made more precisely — and not just for an unpolished stone like Xhekaj, but also for the most varnished veterans of the Canadiens.

A player like Patrik Laine must ritually execute the ordinary more than he did through exhibition. Heâ€s a player capable of extraordinary things but also a player who often complicates the ordinary.

And what is “the ordinary?â€

“Itâ€s F3 on the forecheck, how you arrive in our zone if they get deep pucks, how you deal with the rush as the first forward back,†said St. Louis. “Every team has different ways to play certain situations; do you understand how we want to play it, and can you do these ordinary things over and over thatâ€s going to allow us to kill more plays, get more pucks and now raise the percentages to be able to do extraordinary things?â€

Oliver Kapanen and Samuel Blais did, too, and the former already made this team.

Donâ€t be surprised if the latter, who had five hits against the Senators, also sticks around after Sundayâ€s cuts.

Then the real fun begins, and itâ€ll be anything but ordinary.

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Ben Danford is getting more and more confident as Toronto Maple Leafs training camp rolls on.

After the 19-year-old missed the entirety of last yearâ€s camp with a concussion, which he suffered during Torontoâ€s rookie camp, heâ€s entered this season with the belief that his game has taken a step forward.

Danford has played four games thus far, dating back to the Prospect Showdown in Montreal. And after every game, the coach (Marlies bench boss John Gruden or Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube) has spoken glowingly about his play.

“I thought Danford played a good, solid hockey game,†Berube said after Torontoâ€s opening pre-season win against the Senators on Sunday. “Itâ€s not a flashy game by any means, but itâ€s just, first-pass, defending well, plays a hard game. Pretty much mistake-free. It was impressive.â€

Danfordâ€s last appearance came in Torontoâ€s 3-2 overtime loss to the Senators on Tuesday night. The defenseman had 15:55 of ice time, the lowest among players on the teamâ€s back-end. However, he was playing with the Maple Leafs†regulars, including Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev, whom Danford got to train with this summer.

“He just had a good attitude. He worked hard, and heâ€s a great skater. He was just doing everything that I was doing, and it was a good skate,†Rielly told The Hockey News of skating with Danford.

“I think itâ€s nice when you’ve got a guy like that thatâ€s motivated and has something on his mind that he wants to go out and prove. And I mean, he looks great, so I think heâ€s doing an outstanding job.â€

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Danford hasnâ€t been shy to voice that Rielly and Tanev are players he admires. “Iâ€ve looked up to (Tanev) for quite a few years now. I feel like thatâ€s someone I can really learn off of,” the young defenseman said.

To skate with those players during a summer training is one thing. To get into game action with them during the pre-season is another. Itâ€s a huge step for Danford, and he understands that.

“Last year, I didnâ€t get the full experience, so to get into a game with all those guys was really cool,†Danford said on Wednesday. “Last year, I didnâ€t really get to be around them that much, just having the injury. So to get to know them, play in a game with them, be on the ice with them in practice, theyâ€re all great guys.â€

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Thereâ€ll be plenty of memories from Danfordâ€s first game inside Scotiabank Arena. The fans and the atmosphere will surely be the number one thing. Heâ€ll also remember returning to the bench and hearing the positive feedback from the Maple Leafs†top defenders as well.

“All the guys I played with on the back-end (Rielly, Tanev, Brandon Carlo, Jake McCabe, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson), you come off for a shift and you had a good one, and theyâ€ll make sure to let you know,†Danford said.

“Theyâ€re really good at being positive. That definitely helped last night. They were really positive when I made a good pass. That definitely helped my confidence throughout the game. They did a great job, and I look up to them.â€

On Wednesday, Rielly reflected on when he was a young defenseman trying to make a name for himself in the league. He earned a full-time role with the Maple Leafs in the fall of 2013, following a season which was split between the WHLâ€s Moose Jaw Warriors and the AHLâ€s Toronto Marlies.

“Itâ€s a strange feeling. You come in here and youâ€re trying to make the team. Youâ€re essentially trying to take someoneâ€s job and trying to prove yourself and start your career,†the 31-year-old said.

“It can be a little bit strange. You donâ€t have a ton of communication with the coaching staff, just because thereâ€s lots happening. And so you just try to come in every day and work hard and perform and execute and do whatâ€s asked of you. And I think all our young guys are doing that, so itâ€s been good to see.â€

‘My Goal Was To Leave No Stone Unturned’: How Morgan Rielly’s Summer Could Set Him Up For Success With Maple Leafs
Shortly after the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in May, Morgan Rielly and general manager Brad Treliving sat down to review the year.

As Rielly watches Danford, he sees a younger version of himself: a prospect with plenty of upside, whoâ€s just trying to navigate the early goings of his hockey career. And even when Rielly is preparing for a massive season ahead personally, he sees the importance of guiding Danford along.

“I think you just want to support your teammates. But also for a young guy, you want him to build confidence, and you also want to make him feel good about himself. Itâ€s not easy being in that position. Iâ€ve been there,†Rielly said.

“Iâ€ve had relationships with guys that are very supportive, and Iâ€ve had relationships with guys that are kind of s****y to you. You look back at those, and I donâ€t want to be one of those guys. I want to be someone that can support the young guys, and heâ€s doing a great job for us. I think all of us, between O (Ekman-Larsson), myself, Caber (McCabe) and Tany (Tanev), weâ€re just really impressed with him, so I think itâ€s worthwhile to tell him.â€

Danford added, “Iâ€m just trying every day here at training camp. Trying to put my best foot forward, not overdo things. Just take it day by day. And to hear that, itâ€s obviously great feedback, but I just got to keep rolling, just keep taking it day by day, keep getting better every day.â€

‘The Issue Has Been The Number’: Maple Leafs, Anthony Stolarz’s Camp Reportedly Continue Going Back And Forth In Negotiations
With just over two weeks until the beginning of the regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarzâ€s camp are reportedly still grinding away at getting a deal done.

Itâ€s not often you get a defensive prospect who makes this much of an impression at camp, especially at his first. He has another year of junior under his belt after being picked in the first round (31st overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft. But still, it usually takes a defender several years to develop into a meaningful player at the NHL level.

Danford might have another season with the OHLâ€s Oshawa Generals coming up, but he might be a step closer to the NHL than previously thought.

“Hockey IQ and feet,†said Berube, of why Danford has fit so seamlessly into the teamâ€s game. “I watch him play; he just knows what heâ€s doing. He knows where the puckâ€s going. Heâ€s simple. He doesnâ€t overcomplicate it.

“Iâ€m not saying he doesnâ€t ever, but for the most part, he sees the outlet, makes the play, and heâ€s a good defender. He plays with a little bite, too, like heâ€s a physical guy and plays with some edge. But I love his feet, and I love that his headâ€s up all the time seeing the play, and heâ€s a pretty smart player.â€

Maple Leafs’ Nick Robertson Credits John Tavares For Lessons On Recovery
Nick Robertson had a standout performance in the Toronto Maple Leafs†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.

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