The Maple Leafs held an optional skate at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
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After scoring his 500th career goal during a road game last week, Leafs centre John Tavares<\/a> will be honoured in a pre-game ceremony on Wednesday in Toronto. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all pretty jacked up about it,\u201d said coach Craig Berube<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m extremely happy to be part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Berube and Leafs players sported shirts and hats reading, \u2018Tavares 500,\u2019 on Wednesday morning. <\/p>\n Tavares is only the 49th player in NHL history to reach the milestone and only the second to do it while playing for the Leafs, joining Mats Sundin<\/a>. The pride of Oakville, Ont. will have his family on hand for the ceremony, which will include a tribute video. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great to come to the rink every day and see what he does and trying to pick up things from him,\u201d said winger Matias Maccelli<\/a>. \u201cI mean, he\u2019s a future Hall of Famer.\u201d<\/p>\n Tavares is off to a strong start this season with 16 points in 13 games. He leads the Leafs with four goals in 5-on-5 play. <\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019s found another gear this year [with] his skating,\u201d said centre Scott Laughton<\/a>. \u201cHe looks so explosive through the neutral zone, and he can make those plays that a lot of guys can\u2019t make at the blueline. He finds space.\u201d <\/p>\n Laughton, who was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia at the deadline last season, trained alongside Tavares throughout the summer. <\/p>\n \u201cYou see how successful he is with how much work he puts into himself,\u201d Laughton said. \u201cHe finishes every puck in practice. He does the little things like that, and that\u2019s the first thing I told him when I got here is I\u2019m excited to learn from him. I\u2019ve definitely learned from him a ton.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘We’re all pretty jacked up’: Leafs excited to honor Tavares at 500-goal ceremony A week ago in Columbus, John Tavares recorded his 500th career goal. Now back in Toronto, the Maple Leafs are set to honour their assistant captain’s accomplishment, and Tavares’ teammates couldn’t be happier with the opportunity to show Tavares respect. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Tavares is known for his focused, detailed approach, but Laughton pointed to another trait that doesn\u2019t get a lot of attention. <\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know Johnny much before coming here,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the funniest guys I\u2019ve ever met. Seriously, one of the funniest guys I\u2019ve ever met and one of the greatest pros I\u2019ve seen.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughton\u2019s comment about Tavares\u2019 sense of humour elicited follow-up questions from reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how to describe it, but he makes me laugh a lot,\u201d Laughton said. \u201cIt\u2019s a little bit dry.\u201d<\/p>\n Tavares usually comes off as very serious during media sessions.<\/p>\n \u201cAway from the cameras, he\u2019s just like any of us,\u201d winger Nick Robertson said with a grin. \u201cHe\u2019s joking around. He\u2019s talking. He\u2019s not as reserved as you guys may see.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘He makes me laugh’: Laughton reveals Tavares is really funny! Tonight, the Maple Leafs will honour John Tavares for his 500th goal. While his Toronto teammates are excited for the event, fellow forward Scott Laughton revealed that away from the mics, the Leafs’ assistant captain is actually a really funny guy, and not as serious as his public persona shows. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Laughton will be playing for the first time since blocking a shot off his foot in a pre-season game on Oct. 2. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to have that nervous energy,\u201d the 31-year-old forward said. \u201cI think it\u2019s a good thing to have … I\u2019m super excited. You train all summer, you come back, and something like that happens.\u201d<\/p>\n The road back has been a grind. <\/p>\n \u201cHopefully I don\u2019t have to see the gym for a while,\u201d Laughton said with a smile.<\/p>\n After producing just six points in 33 games with the Leafs last season, Laughton is determined to make a bigger impact this season. He got off to a strong start at training camp before suffering the injury in the penultimate pre-season game.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s always bringing that energy,\u201d said centre Nicolas Roy<\/a>. \u201cEven in pre-season, making a lot of good plays, good on faceoffs, can play a more defensive game as well, can play in different roles. So, yeah, good to have him back.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughton will start Wednesday\u2019s game on the fourth line with Max Domi<\/a> and Steven Lorentz<\/a> and is also expected to contribute to the penalty kill.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the energy will be there,\u201d Laughton said. \u201cIt takes you a little bit to get back into game shape when you\u2019re out that long. You can\u2019t replicate a game. I\u2019ve been skating, but you can\u2019t replicate those battles that you have throughout a game. Just the little parts of it. So, yeah, there\u2019s going to be a little bit of rust for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughton looks to bring ‘energy’ tonight in season debut Scott Laughton suffered a lower-body injury in the pre-season and missed Toronto’s first 13 games of the season. Tonight, Laughton makes his season debut and jokes that he is looking forward to contributing on the ice, not hitting the gym and watching the games from the pressbox. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n The Leafs have won four of five games, but remain unsatisfied with their inconsistent level of play. During the second period on Monday, Toronto was outshot 17-3 while falling behind the Penguins 3-0. <\/p>\n The Leafs rallied to win with four unanswered goals in the third period. <\/p>\n \u201cThe first two periods were unacceptable on our end,\u201d Robertson said. \u201cCredit to us, we came back and battled through that, but we don\u2019t want to be in that position again.\u201d<\/p>\n The Leafs have allowed the first goal in six straight games. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat we saw in the third period, that\u2019s what we\u2019re looking for here right away to start the game,\u201d Berube said. \u201cYou know, that team played last night. They\u2019re on a back-to-back, so play with pace, energy and get after them.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mammoth beat the Buffalo Sabres<\/a> in overtime on Tuesday night to improve to 9-4-0 on the season. <\/p>\n ‘You’ve got to have a pushback’: Leafs look to respond after disappointing win On Monday, the Maple Leafs fell into a 3-0 hole to the Penguins before reeling off four goals in the third period to pull off the win. Not happy with the victory, Toronto is hoping to bounce back and start on the right foot, knowing that comebacks like the one against Pittsburgh aren’t common. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Robertson has delivered three goals and three assists in five games since being a healthy scratch on Oct. 24. What is the winger liking about his game lately? <\/p>\n \u201cMy effort,\u201d Robertson said. \u201cHow hard I work and moving my feet and trying to do the little things right. That\u2019s just how I like it. I just want to keep moving my feet, keep complementing my teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n Robertson\u2019s strong play has earned him an extended look on the top two lines. He\u2019ll start Wednesday\u2019s game beside Tavares and Bobby McMann<\/a> on the second line.<\/p>\n Robertson averaged 11 minutes of ice time in his first seven games. He\u2019s up to 15 minutes and 10 seconds in the last five games. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve given him more opportunity, but he\u2019s deserved it,\u201d Berube said. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s part of it. And that\u2019s confidence, right? He feels good about his game. He feels [he\u2019s] getting a lot of good puck touches, you know, getting shots, scoring. He\u2019s confident. That\u2019s a big part of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘He’s deserved it’: Robertson earning look in Leafs top six Over his last five games, Nick Robertson has scored three goals, while adding three assists. Getting more responsibility on special teams, Robertson has also seen some time in the top six forward group. Happy with his progression, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube admits to giving the diminutive winger some more opportunities, but says he has earned what he has got. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n After missing Tuesday\u2019s practice for maintenance, Anthony Stolarz<\/a> returned to the ice on Wednesday morning and is set to make his 11th start of the season. <\/p>\n