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Jonnywatts sports desk Maple Leafs Media Availability | Practice | March 5, 2024

Maple Leafs Media Availability | Practice | March 5, 2024

Jonny Watts

1 day ago

hello my Bap fans welcome to the media um Team press uh conference following today's practice I I'll take you live to the press conference right now [Music] hear that you've got this your other sides are calling where where will they take you when you what do you think of what Alex did last night yeah I was like so pissed after the game but uh I mean you see that you can't just be I mean so happy for my brother like uh I mean he's been working so hard and I mean Columbus has given him a great op
portunity and uh yeah it was it was super fun to see for him you have a nice call with him or you catch up with him at all yeah this morning I talked to him uh yeah I mean he plays today against Pittsburgh so that'll be fun game I like I haven't been able to watch really any of the games because we've been playing so it'll be fun to able to watch tonight so you were ped after the game what was I guess the biggest thing you're upset about last night yeah I just think that I mean they're just bett
er than us um I feel like yeah I feel like we we we have another level we didn't play to that level so I think that's kind of uh what's uh irritating where you at with your line like I know Sheldon was stressing the defense like how have you felt it's gone since you've been with those guys yeah I think we've been creating a lot of uh chances offensively um like I said those those defensive uh situations have come off of us like having I mean longer shifts in Ozone and then having to play defense
and giving up some chances so I think I mean a way to adjust that would be to try to get off the ice uh ice earlier played with John and Austin so much during your career how's it changed the dynamic when you're kind of like the go-to threat shooter on the line yeah I mean I don't think like my game changes at all it just stays the same and just keep keep doing what I I do out there I think we all think the game similarly so uh I mean we're just trying to find you out there out there and uh I m
ean create a lot of oldone chances you've been around for a couple of trade deadlines what's the mood in here in the couple of days leading up to the final deadline much does it change more nervous um you know I think everybody's I mean positive hasn't haven't really noticed anything uh with anybody so um I mean obviously it's a it's a weird time for for a lot of players around the league so um I mean we'll just have to wait and see what happens your line what's the key on the defensive side you
mentioned that you think some of the breakdowns are coming late in shifts is there any way to to combat that yeah I think they change earlier CH earlier is that the key like the line CH yeah I think like that kept fresh Bo On The Ice defending Tire doesn't help looks like we have company here like are you in the spotlight even more than usual are they following you around here or what's that like yeah they just following following me around for for a few days but yeah it's it's it's fun I don't
know if you know this maybe you were tracking it but you passed your dad and alltime goals in the NHL did you share a moment with him about that did you know that no what what game was that against yor New York yeah no we didn't talk about uh about the goal is that kind of a cool thing now got more goals than your old men in the NHL or yeah but I mean when you were I mean when I hadit what did he have yeah so you kind of knew it was going to happen so it wasn't not would have been funnier if it
was towards the end of uh of my career and I passed him but yeah it's always fun to have one up on him now I guess I got my brother chasing me too what do you think of line since y's been back like what do you see for those guys yeah they they've been buzzing I mean playing really hard and being hard to play against and um doing a great job scored a scored a big goal last night for us I mean and I mean they've been producing ever I mean since Kell's been back too power play last me what's what'
s the key to avoiding the counterattacks that have been coming the last little bit it feels like guys been given up a few chances when you've been on the power play yeah I don't I think we maybe been a little bit uh sloppy with the puck in certain situations um that's probably what's been leading to to those chances uh so I mean just being a little bit more I mean I mean smarter and plays with the puck so uh what's your take away from last night's game um yeah I thought we we had some good stret
ches um obviously they uh scored two goals in the first uh and then one one in the second and one in the third so I think for me it's kind of a sloppy game thought I did some good stuff and obviously you know two goals uh uh two goals against on five on five it's uh it's not good enough so uh obviously got to be better uh better defensively for sure what do you want to clean up in your game I think just small details I on their their fourth goal just be more aware I kind of knew it was there but
take away the stick and body instead of kind of Puck watching and um you know on the third goal it was more like keep my stick out and like stick on Puck instead of kind blocking the shot there so just small details but as I said I thought I did some good stuff but obviously um you know uh small details to to clean up theg challeng against guy like P NE it's just Shifty [Music] um hard to play against I mean he's uh he's good at making plays so you got to you know have a good Gap stay tight uh
don't give him uh too much space and obviously yesterday had a good game so we didn't do a good enough job how have you felt since coming back from the injury because you had a lot of momentum before has it been what's it been like I guess since you come back yeah no I I think I've it's been fine as I said it's small details i' I've been lacking uh obviously scor was on a goal against against Rangers too and uh two last night so I said small details to to clean up uh uh mostly defensively so um
yeah got to be better how do you work on that obviously practice but is it film work like how do you approach it the details I think it's just the dial obviously I missed a couple of games there you kind of lose at him a little bit so uh just something I got to you know D it in my head to uh you know to be hard to play against in in D Zone um I think cc is that what's your sense of that Taris line since they've been together since yarn kro came back what are you seeing from them yeah good they w
ork hard obviously John had a big goal for us yesterday uh but um yeah I know they work hard hard get pucks back uh so uh they they've been good like another shot at the BRS later this week like right away you get to kind of make amends yeah sure I mean um it's a team we we can up playing in the playoffs so um it's for sure nice to to have them uh you know after Buffalo again Austin what was your take away from last night's game I thought we started good and then just a little bit of a low in th
e middle of the first and know quick one two and you know we're kind of just chasing the game from there but I mean I thought you know there was good moments in the game it had good opportunities and the puck didn't go in and obviously they made good on some of theirs and um you know just kind of took a little bit of the the life out of the game at times but I just thought that was a bit of a inconsistent roller coaster of a of a game for us and um you know in the times that we were inconsistent
it was very inconsistent and uh they're a very good team and they obviously capitalize on their opportunities and our mistakes like the first period power play Maybe changed momentum why do you think that the the power play has been a little susceptible to like counterattacks lately uh I don't know I mean I think obviously uh you know when it's time to defend you got to defend and um you know we just didn't do a very good job of that uh you know when it was time and out there a little bit too l
ong so uh I mean that's on us and um you know those are moments in the games or you know we just have to be more Mindful and and be more aware and uh just be better in those aspects because those are big turning points uh you know over the course of the game do you have F memories of playing for D Grado at the back of the program yeah yeah absolutely I mean he was uh I really enjoyed playing for him he was a great coach and uh still keep in touch a little bit uh today so um I'm really happy for
him when he when he got the job there and um you know it's always fun going against him is there anything in particular to remember about him anything might have taught you or anything like that um you know I think you just I love the practices we used to have with him and um just the environment we had it was so competitive and um you know 16 17 18-year-old guys that are all you know top guys in in the country for for our age group and stuff and uh you know he just made it so competitive and an
d fun and it was just always the blast going to the rink every day they got you pretty good last time you played them it was a while ago but is that something that you feel like you only one going into this game or is it on your mind at all I mean I think it's on the mind uh a little bit I mean it's a new day it's a new game but obviously um you know the way uh we played last time out against these guys uh probably one of our worst outings of the year so obviously you want to to bounce back from
that and just kind of keep that in the back of your mind what have you seen from the Taris line since y came back just like built some good momentan yeah you only need such a steady piece there and um he just does everything right from dzone to Ozone uh just a really solid player throughout and and makes plays and um you know helps out on both ends of the ice and that always helps um um you know defensively but also jump starting offensive uh offensive zone and touches in there as well so um he
's a really Val valuable piece for us and you can see just uh you know getting him back in the lineup just gives us an extra look what do you think leushin will do to this team now that he's back yeah it's it's I mean he's uh such a unique piece and obviously brings that physical aspect and um you know I think it's uh you know kind of a good thing that it's you know he's been here before he's uh um you know been through it he's played here and you know knows a lot of the guys and is comfortable
so I think the adjustment period hopefully shouldn't be uh too long and you know he's kind of just stepped right in and um you know made himself at home and you know him and mo played really well together um you know when we first traded for him a couple years ago so hopefully they can kind of rekindle that chemistry and um you know he's uh he's a big piece for us so um you know he's just going to continue to get better another crack in Boston later this week I'm just curious when you could pote
ntially face a team in the playoffs you get late in the air do those matchups take on added meaning for you I mean I think all these games mean mean something especially against divisional teams so um you know those are points that uh mean a lot and that you don't want to um you know let loose so um all these games are very important but obviously uh you know that matchup they're a good team and uh team that we're trying to chase and um you know those are the games you want to be ready for and a
nd competing Charon what do you want Timothy to take away from how last night played out uh you know just he's got to dust himself off and get ready for the next game we have four games and six nights here this week and we're right back at it tomorrow there's no time for for anything other than preparing for the next one you know we uh we given him a great opportunity here um one that we thought he just building some positive momentum and doing well you know you take a a step back or slip a litt
le bit you you got just got to be confident in the good things that you've done what is theander group right now obviously have to work things out but what potential do you see in them that makes you want to give them the runway to do that well there's we just think that the the offensive skills of the line the characteristics uh make up a line that can be effective and then it also you know has effects on the rest of the lineup right I mean our ability to to to have John on a different line uh
sets us up well and we're seeing some of the positive things coming that are coming out of that so it's all it's all connected you know um so for those reasons you want to stay with it and and the team has played well and the team has had good results so you want to be able to continue to to work with it and let it breathe a little bit but obviously monitoring at the same time con says it's close to 100% his availability affect things over the next few years we'll see I mean today obviously is h
is first practice but I thought he did look good it's the first time he's been cleared for contact he has been skating a fair bit on his own but today is the you know like I say first real practice and we don't have any more practices remaining this week so to that end um it's hard to really judge exactly where he's at or to to put him right into the mix but we'll see how it goes is it just a matter of him waiting for his opportunity at this point like as you kind of figure out where your is yea
h it's a combination of waiting for his opportunity but also kind getting ready like I said it's it's a guy who hasn't played in quite some time here and and now has just had his first practice today and there's no more practices remaining this week so he's got some challenges there in terms of getting ready and showing that he's ready for game action obviously addition of lbushkin in the time that he's been out is giv us more depth uh there on defense so you know for all these reasons just keep
working close to the trade deadline what's this week like for you in terms of your dealings with Brad or uh needs wants that sort of thing uh for me it hasn't been any different uh you know I meet with Brad daily and we chat and go through different things um you know I think all season he's do a good job keep keeping me informed and asking me questions but at the same time you know just allowing me to focus on on the team and the group and like I said this is a a very busy week for us as a coa
ching staff so you know I got enough on my plate is Camp illness something that puts in status for tomorrow question uh I would say so just given you know we've seen a lot of these injuries and how they or illnesses excuse me and how they you know how they affect players so we'll see how he is tomorrow but mindful of the fact that we've got a back to back coming up here so for a guy that uh isn't sleeping or anything like that uh it's it's a tough ask but we we'll just see where he's at and make
a decision from there tomorrow you were talking to hatis after practice your trust level him I think has probably gone up the last few games yeah it it has yet you know my conversation today is more just a reminder of like if you want to play in the league every day on a good team you you have to bring it all the time and I thought in the last couple of games since we've come back from the road trip while while we've liked his line and we've liked his game and we believe in him to me he's he's
slipped a little bit um you know and uh First Call in particular last night he's got an opportunity to kill a play early for us before they have a chance to get any anywhere near our net and that's a type of play that I expect all our players to to manage in that situation but particularly for a young hungry guy looking to solidify his place uh on the team and in the league that's a that's a spot he's he's got to be great and and uh and he wasn't so that's you know in those cases you need more t
hat's the difference between those that solidify themselves in the league and those that don't why do you think the maybe been susceptible to the Counterattack here in this this last stretch uh I think it's combination of some of the teams we've played that have have that uh in their as part of their plan that they really push and strike when you open the door for them to do so so um we've been caught a little bit on that uh in the case of last night I think it's also a combination of you know s
ome frustration with the breakouts and inability to get set which leads to uh a little more fatigue and having to ski up and down the ice and then we just got a little just connected there from you know L grins out there as one of our fresh guys and I don't think he managed it well or you know Puck goes to Joseph wall and has a chance to put it to a good spot and fail to do that so it's just things got compounded a little bit and and uh Boston recognized we were vulnerable and took advantage of
it does Boston's pill do anything in particular you guys are only 14 on firep in their last six games well well it's a very good penalty kill um has been for a number of years um yet aside from our first power play yesterday I thought May it's seven Great eight chances uh come out of the come out of the power play one that they pulled off the goal line for Austin and you know Morgan hit the post in the third period uh so these kind of things sometimes happen but uh I think it's a little more to
do with us than than the opponent necess uh you know and I don't think you can do too much with stats that you pull when you play a team you know once every 40 games mentioned that he feels like his lines maybe been caught defending tired at times maybe how much do you think better line changes or better timeline changes can help them in in that department yeah that's that's sort of the Hidden art of being a good defensive players is to get off the ice before things go bad uh so that's that's pa
rt of it yes um yet it's a challenging thing to do for offensive players because you build momentum on a shift and you want to produce you want to score uh so you want to kind of see it through group and then things don't work out and now you've got to got to get back and defend the other way so that is always a challenge for offensive players um and it's always a balance right it's it's uh as a coach you're combating it and you're you're trying to you want guys to produce you want them to be fe
eling good on offense but you want to build positive momentum as a team shift to shift and some cases that's given up on your shift which you know is when you got guys that are you know expected to produce and want to produce and uh you guys may ask some questions when they don't produce uh it's hard for them you know to give up on their shift and recognize these things but uh some of it is the shift length some of it is just execution on breakouts if you don't break out first time real quick an
d then now you're in diesel you know if uh you can manage your shift well by getting in and out fast uh from our breakouts uh that's another piece that allows you then to get the line change and get out but if you don't get out the first time now you're chasing it I think that was a bit of a focus for us here today in in practice in the short time out there and for that line in particular I think that's probably an even more important factor than the line change piece I think the line changes th
ere's something to that but there's some natural flow of the game that you just can't um you can't prevent it just it's going to happen you're going to be in these spots but the execution um on our half of the ice with the puck is an important piece and and if you don't get that right well then now you're going to be in dzone and then that exposes other issues it all started in our kitchen just us giving the best fades in town today no grease Barber Shop is a franchise and TD's expertise and adv
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