There was a lot going on at Wednesday’s practice as a result of injuries, Bobby McMann’s one-game suspension and line changes.<\/p>\n
Get the latest from Lance Hornby straight to your inbox Sign Up <\/p>\n
Published Dec 10, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Craig Berube and the Maple Leafs find themselves down two players after Monday night\u2019s series of misdeeds.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Bobby McMann came out of it with a one-game suspension<\/a>, which was one game too many in the coach\u2019s opinion, but losing defenceman Dakota Mermis for a month from the injury that sparked the fracas hurts more.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n After a few moments to think of a non-inflammatory comment on the NHL department of player safety\u2019s decision, Berube said: \u201cI have to be honest with you, I don\u2019t really know. We lose a guy for probably a month at least \u2026 there\u2019s nothing that I\u2019ve heard (about that).\u201d<\/p>\n After Gage Goncalves took a run at Mermis into the boards, a knee-on-knee hit that saw the Tampa Bay Lightning forward kicked out of the game, both teams scrummed at centre.<\/p>\n During the exchanges, which included a fight between Toronto\u2019s Dakota Joshua<\/a> the Bolts\u2019 Max Crozier, McMann and Oliver Bjorkstrand were menacing each other when the Leaf brought his stick down one-handed on the defenceman\u2019s neck and head, getting a match penalty.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cI thought it was more of (McMann) kind of getting bumped and his stick kind of \u2026 I know you have to be in control of your stick, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s worth a suspension,\u201d Berube said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n General manager Brad Treliving was in the dressing room talking to McMann on Wednesday after he was the last Leaf to finish practice. There had been a DoPS phone hearing on Monday in which the team can participate.<\/p>\n \u2018You don\u2019t want to see your teammates go down,\u201d Joshua said. \u201cThat was kind of a tough sequence. I don\u2019t think Bobby\u2019s intentions were how it came off, but that\u2019s the way the league saw it.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, not much to do there, we\u2019re just going to have to battle for him and pick it up for a game.\u201d<\/p>\n McMann, who had not been suspended in his 169 previous NHL games, will miss Thursday at home against the San Jose Sharks with Nick Robertson coming in after one game in the stands.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Goncalves, who was eligible to play Tuesday in Montreal, was a healthy scratch for the Lightning.<\/p>\n Mermis had been flipping every few games with Philippe Myers as both filled the blue-line gaps created by long-term injuries to Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo.<\/p>\n Mermis was a free agent signed during the summer who had been in 89 games with five different NHL clubs, so any lengthy absence will make it harder on the 31-year-old to get back to the Leafs.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n What Mark Hunter sees in Easton Cowan’s game with Maple Leafs<\/p>\n <\/a> Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann suspended one game for high-sticking<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Henry Thrun, who had been on the Marlies with Mermis, got the call to play Thursday against a Sharks team that drafted him and where he played 119 games before coming to Toronto in a trade for Ryan Reaves.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Thrun, a 6-foot-1 fourth-round pick of the Sharks in 2019, had nine points in 19 games with the Marlies.<\/p>\n He must have seen the San Jose game coming up the Leafs\u2019 schedule.<\/p>\n \u201cI was trying to help the Marlies and who the Leafs are playing is kind of luck of the draw,\u201d Thrun said. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to play your old team and obviously there\u2019s a bit of chip on the shoulder. You want to play well any night, but especially against your old teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n Thrun is a left-shot defenceman playing the right side, a switch which began with the Marlies as the Leafs lack righties, so he\u2019s ready to work with left-shooting Simon Benoit on Thursday.<\/p>\n Toronto will attempt to extend its season-high to a sixth game with at least a point, though it\u2019s not moved the needle much in the Atlantic Division, where they remain fifth.<\/p>\n However, that\u2019s just three points out of first place<\/a> as of Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1211-henry-thrun-leafs-practice.jpg\")
Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Henry Thrun at practice in Toronto earlier this year. Jack Boland\/Toronto SunArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.1.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n![\"opening](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.1.2\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-sun-middaySun.svg\"\/){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1112-easton-cowan-maple-leafs.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1210-bobby-mcmann-leafs-penguins.jpg\")
<\/p>\n