Curious Marner absence opens opportunity for Maple Leafs’ Domi, Rielly
the Maple Leafs are preparing for Marner — the team leader in points (70) and ice time — to miss his first game of the season, Tuesday night at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome.
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CALGARY — On Saturday, Mitch Marner juked through the Edmonton Oilers’ defence to score a beautiful game-winning goal and helped his Toronto Maple Leafs, in the frantic, dying seconds, hang on to a playoff-style 4-3 victory.
Riding the high of victory, the star hugged his goalie, walked off the ice to be gifted a Hockey Night in Canada towel, then happily sang his teammates’ praises in post-game interviews.
Nothing seemed amiss.
Three days later, the Maple Leafs are preparing for Marner — the team leader in points (70) and ice time — to miss his first game of the season, Tuesday night at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome.
“I mean, he’s been our best player all year. Does everything, right?” Chris Tavev said, following morning skate. “We’re gonna need a group of guys to step up and pick up the slack, because I think he’s been our best player all year, and he plays a full 200-foot game.”
Marner was absent from Monday’s full team practice due to “maintenance,” according to a Leafs rep. Head coach Craig Berube said he wasn’t aware of any ailment in-game.
Marner missed a second mandatory skate Tuesday and was labelled a game-time decision but the coach. He hasn’t been spotted around the rink.
We’ll label Marner highly doubtful, as the health-conscious Leafs aren’t in the habit of throwing a banged-up player into game action without a skate or three to work out the kinks.
So, what happened?
Craig Berube: “I don’t know. Something happened in the game, I guess. Just not feeling right in certain areas, so we’re trying to work on it. Trying to get him ready.”
William Nylander: “Yeah, I had no clue something was going on, but we’ll see.”
John Tavares: “To get to this point of the year, 50-plus games, there’s a lot going on, obviously, in terms of just the grind and what you go through, and the aches and pains and all that…. Played great the other night. Hopefully he’s a go tonight.”
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If not, the Leafs will open the door for the struggling Max Domi (three goals) to get a top-line look alongside Auston Matthews.
Domi’s best nights as a Leaf were on Matthews’ wing last spring, when Marner got sidelined by a high-ankle sprain.
“He’s definitely a pass-first guy, and I’m the first to tell you, I’d love to see him shoot more — but he sees the ice well,” Matthews says. “We complemented each other really well when we played with each other last year, just trying to play in that give-and-go game and looking for each other over the ice. So, I think that chemistry is still there.
“Guy I’m pretty comfortable playing with.”
Domi has registered assists in consecutive games, and this could be a fine chance to generate some positive offensive momentum in a tough season.
“I like Max’s game right now. I think he is more aggressive. He’s shooting more, attacking more, skating better,” Berube encourages. “He’s got to continue to do that, because he has all the abilities. He’s got a real good shot. He’s obviously a very good playmaker, but he’s a strong skater. He’s fast, and he needs to use the speed.”
Despite Domi’s underwhelming stat line (19 points in 44 games), Matthews raves about his teammate’s off-ice consistency since signing on for four more years in Toronto.
“He’s the same person every day,” Matthews says. “That’s something that I’ve really noticed early on, and I admire about him — because it’s not easy. The season brings a lot of ups and downs, and it’s a bit of a roller coaster sometimes. But you’ll never see him wear that.
“He comes in, and he’s the same guy every day. Good energy. Always says hi to everybody. He gives the most taps on the a– than I’ve ever seen out of a teammate.”
Rotation ’round risk-reward Rielly rolls right on
What does Morgan Rielly think of plus/minus as a useful stat to judge performance?
“Right now? Ah, mixed reviews,” Rielly deadpans, flashing his classic wry smile.
“I try not to worry about it. It’s a stat that, you know, it is what it is. You just gotta play your game and focus on that, push through and just focus on what you can control.”
The defenceman maintains he doesn’t look at the numbers.
If he dared, he’d see a disturbing dash-19 beside his name. He’d notice his ice time is down more than two minutes per night compared to last season, mostly because he’s been plucked off the top power-play unit. And he’d spot a takeaway-to-giveaway ratio of 10-to-64.
Rielly was never sold as a defensive stalwart, but coaches lived with the odd own-zone hiccup because he was a speedy, smart offensive threat with elite vision and a wicked wrister.
That he’s on pace for just 36 points in his first season under Berube’s risk-adverse system is a concern.
“There’s balance in everything. So, it’s just about trying to find that,” Reilly says.
“We all want to contribute offensively and not give up anything defensively. And that, in itself, is balanced. And sometimes it just comes easily without thinking about it. And then there’s other times where you’re really conscious about it. You’re maybe overthinking it.”
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With Oliver Ekman-Larsson (game-time decision) suffering a lower-body injury Saturday and Toronto’s shutdown pair of Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe thriving against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Berube may reunite Rielly with Philippe Myers.
The coach believes the big righty’s ability to snuff out plays and rip point shots is the best available option to complement No. 44, whom he wants to activate more aggressively in the O-zone.
Berube is quick to note that Rielly’s plus/minus has taken a beating through empty-net goals. Still, the Leafs are losing the five-on-five battle 38-33 when he’s on the ice, despite Rielly starting a career-high 62.5 per cent of those even-strength shifts in the offensive end.
“To me, he’s battling harder in his own zone, playing our D-zone pretty well. He hasn’t obviously produced enough points like he has in the past. And we’re going to need that from him,” Berube says.
“Anybody that looks at that stuff, whether it’s your plus/minus or your points — you’re supposed to be a point producer — it wears on you, for sure, as a player. He’s got to be mentally tough and keep fighting through, which he is.
“My conversations with him have been good because he’s looking at everything. He’s watching his shifts. He feels good. He’s training. He’s looking after himself. So, he’s doing all the right things, and he’s gonna come out of it. He’s got to keep battling.”
Stolarz should play this week
“He’s close, boys,” Berube announced of his goaltender with the shiny mask and the shinier .927 save percentage.
Anthony Stolarz’s surgically repaired knee is good to go, and his conditioning has been ramping up for this week’s long-awaited return to the crease.
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Bet on Stolarz to get the nod Thursday in Seattle, exactly eight weeks since he got sidelined.
The goaltender says it “sucks” watching from afar but now feels more attached to the team since he’s been a regular at practice and on road trips.
Seeing tandem mate Joseph Woll put on a 45-save showcase in Edmonton Saturday against some of the sport’s most dangerous playmakers helped get his own competitive juices flowing.
“Just a classic goalie game,” enthuses Stolarz, who enjoyed one of those in New Jersey. “Kinda sends your confidence through the roof a little bit. It’s nice to have those.
“You know, Joe and I have a great relationship, and we push each other. And that’s something, as a goalie, you want. It’s not just in games; it’s in practices as well. And it’s made us both better goalies.”
One-Timers: Defenceman Dakota Mermis was recalled from the AHL in response to Ekman-Larsson’s lower-body injury…. Matthews, Team USA’s captain, was asked about “The Star-Spangled Banner” getting booed at Canadian sports events. “Well, I’m not going to get into politics, so I’ll take the next question,” he replied…. Beloved ex-Flame Tanev makes his return to Calgary and will be in line for his second video tribute this season. He was already celebrated in Dallas.
Maple Leafs projected lineup Tuesday at Calgary Flames:
Knies – Matthews – Domi
Pacioretty – Tavares – Nylander
McMann – Holmberg – Robertson
Lorentz – Kämpf – Reaves
Rielly – Ekman-Larsson (or Myers)
McCabe – Tanev
Benoit – Timmins
Woll starts
Murray
