The Maple Leafs held a Fan Day event at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
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During the Leafs Fan Day event on Thursday, head coach Craig Berube decided to take a turn in the shootout competition.
“I was a little worried,” the 60-year-old said. “I felt not bad. But then I thought if I tried to make a move I might fall and that wouldn’t be good so I opted to just shoot it.”
Joseph Woll easily turned aside the shot.
“Not very good, eh,” Berube said with a grin.
If Berube is feeling the pressure of a disappointing Leafs season, he’s doing a pretty good job hiding it. There’s a lot of noise in Toronto about how the Leafs fell from the top of the Atlantic Division to the bottom in just one season.
Berube expects nothing less.
“This is a huge hockey market,” he said. “I’ve been in Philadelphia where it’s a pretty big sports market too, not just hockey, but all the sports. There comes criticism with not doing well and that’s part of the game and you gotta understand that that’s just the way it is and you gotta deal with it.”
Is it tougher in Toronto than Philadelphia?
“Same,” said Berube, who guided the small-market St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019. “I love this. I love it here. I think it’s a great place. I really do. I get there’s pressure that comes with playing here but, at the same time, I’d rather have the pressure than no pressure.”
The autopsy on the Leafs season is well underway in Toronto even though the body is still warm. The franchise is about to see its nine-year run of playoff appearances come to a crashing end. Even the market itself is taking some blame for what’s happened.
During a recent interview on TSN 1050’s OverDrive program, former NHLer Pat Maroon suggested all the media attention adds to the pressure on the Leafs.
“There’s a lot of pressure outside the building and that’s what you want when you play in Canada,” said defenceman Troy Stecher, who is playing in his eighth NHL city. “You’re the star of the show. So, sure, there’s pressure but, at the end of the day, we put a lot more pressure on ourselves than people think. It’s how you handle it as an individual. In my opinion, pressure’s a privilege. We’re very fortunate to be in this spot.”
Claimed off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers in November, Stecher immediately made an impression with the Leafs and earned a regular spot in the lineup.
“I’m not trying to talk poorly of past places, but I played in Arizona where we played in front of 4,000 fans, you know, so those aren’t very fun days either,” the 31-year-old pointed out. “So very fortunate to be part of this organization and play in front of the support that we have. And just how much everyone cares, it’s a really unique situation to be in.”
Yes, there’s criticism from the fan base and media at times, but there’s also a lot of unconditional love. On Thursday, a crowd of 8,200 packed the lower bowl at Scotiabank Arena and cheered on the players as they completed drills and played some 3-on-3 hockey.
“It’s unbelievable how they stick with you and stay behind you,” said centre John Tavares. “We’ve noticed that on a day like today and certainly through the last number of home games with the difficult stretch that we’ve been through here of late. Just the continued support that we get, it doesn’t get lost [on me], personally, or the group.”
Toronto has dropped nine of its last 10 home games.
The Fan Day event ended with Tavares passing an Auston Matthews stick to a fan, who will be invited back for a game next season.
“Seeing the excitement the young boy had to come to a Leafs game next year and get Auston’s stick and just the emotional reaction was pretty amazing,” the 35-year-old from Oakville, Ont. said.
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It felt like the Leafs needed a day like this.
“What it does is it brings in some fun here today,” Berube said. “A lot of times when you’re going through tough times you forget that the game’s fun. You’re playing the game because you love to play the game. Yes, it becomes a job and you get paid and all that, but today’s none of that. It’s just about having fun and enjoying the game today and giving back to all our fans and the community that supports us so well.”
Defenceman Brandon Carlo, who has not scored in an NHL game since Oct. 14, 2024, opened the scoring in the 3-on-3 competition. Stecher scored next and blew kisses to the crowd.
Steven Lorentz, who snapped a 29-game drought with a goal on Tuesday, pulled off a great move in the shootout.
“I went by ‘Chief’ [Berube] and said, ‘Were you watching?’ and he looked away,” Lorentz said with a wide smile.
“It was pretty nice, I gotta admit,” Berube said. “I was impressed.”
There were plenty of reasons to smile on Thursday afternoon.
During an interview on the bench with legendary play-by-play voice Joe Bowen that was played on the video board, defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson revealed that his newborn son will be named Louis William.
“You guys probably think it’s named after Willy [Nylander], but it’s not,” Ekman-Larsson said to laughs.
At one point Bowen, who will retire at the end of the season, handed the microphone to Lorentz and had him call some of the action.
“I think I’m going to stick to my job,” Lorentz said. “Luckily enough [Max] Domi scored so I was able to do a ‘Holy Mackinaw!’ so that was pretty cool.”
The crowd roared every time a goal went in.
“This is probably one of the loudest crowds all year,” Domi told Bowen during another interview.
For Lorentz, who grew up a Leafs fan in Kitchener, Ont., it was a full-circle moment.
“It was a great all-around day,” he said. “You got a bunch of screaming kids and they’re having a good time. I remember doing that when I was a kid, too. My dad texted me before and just said, ‘Enjoy it. Remember when you were able to do that as a young guy.’ So, it was cool to be out there.”
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The March break crowd enjoyed seeing some of the Leafs players take part in a spirited game of ‘Simon Says’ led by professional Simon Sez caller Steve Max.
Lorentz was among the first to be eliminated.
“Clearly I got to work on my listening a little bit,” he quipped.
Woll edged out winger Nick Robertson to be the last Leaf standing.
“I was pretty impressed,” Berube said. “I mean, that guy was quick. I don’t think I would’ve lasted very long, but he did well.”
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Even the player dogs got in on the fun with a race near the end of the event. Stecher’s nine-year-old dog Phoebe posted the fastest time.
“She’s in her element, man,” Stecher beamed. “Bernese Mountain Dog [on] ice, she’s happy out there, so proud dad. I got her my rookie year in Vancouver … very well travelled. She’s still got it just like her dad.”
Matthew Knies struggled to get his dog Zoe off the mark, which led to some good-natured ribbing.
“He spent a lot of money training that dog and I think a few guys have given it to him,” Lorentz confirmed. “Yeah, not Zoe’s best performance. I’ve babysat Zoe a few times and she’s usually a pretty good listener, but clearly she didn’t want to run to Kniesy today.”
“Yeah, there’s probably a lot of things that will be said,” Tavares grinned. “Not Kniesy’s best performance.”
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Before the Leafs took the ice on Thursday, the Toronto Sceptres of the PWHL put on a similar skills showcase for the fans. Blayre Turnbull was asked if her or any of her teammates were starstruck spending time around the Leafs.
“It was pretty normal for us,” the Sceptres captain said. “I think that’s the great thing about what our league has done, it’s kind of given us a platform to feel like we’re professionals too. The Leafs have been around forever and it’s cool to get to interact with NHL players but, for us, we feel like we’re professionals. So, not saying we’re on the same level as the Leafs by any means, but I don’t think we’re at the point any more when we’re starstruck by NHL players too much.”
The Sceptres, who joined the Leafs on the ice at the end of the event, are hoping to spend a little more time with the NHLers at next year’s event.
“Maybe be out there on the ice with the guys for a portion of the 3-on-3 or some of the skills competitions,” suggested Renata Fast. “I think that would be really fun.”
The Leafs are thinking the same thing.
“I thought maybe their winning team was going to play our winning team,” said Lorentz. “I think that would’ve been cool. That would’ve been a good game.”
“Maybe we go see their dressing room [at Coca-Cola Coliseum] next time instead of them coming here,” Stecher said.
Sceptres not starstruck by Leafs at Fan Day; Fast hopes to play 3-on-3 with them next time The Sceptres participated in Thursday’s Fan Day in Toronto but there were no starstruck moments for Blayre Turnbull being next to the Leafs. Renata Fast shared her takeaways about one improvement that can be made for next year.
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Morgan Rielly (flu) missed the Fan Day event.
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The Leafs announced on Thursday that Matthews underwent successful surgery to repair a MCL tear in his left knee. The star centre sustained the injury on a knee-on-knee hit by Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas last Thursday.
Berube caught up with Matthews on Tuesday.
“He seemed OK,” the coach said. “Obviously, it’s a tough situation for him. You know, it’s like [a] rollercoaster … He wins gold [at the Olympics], he comes back, we’re not doing well, then he gets injured. A lot of up and down with him and it’s tough. It’s a tough way to go about things. But, like I said, that’s the way it is right now and he’ll deal with it and we’ll do what we have to do to get him back healthy.”
The recovery time is approximately 12 weeks.
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Lines at Thursday’s practice:
Maccelli – Tavares – Cowan
Knies – Domi – Nylander
Joshua – Groulx – Robertson
Lorentz – Quillan – Jarnkrok
Myers* – Carlo
McCabe – Stecher
Benoit – Ekman-Larsson
*Rielly (flu) is absent
Woll
Stolarz