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Sheldon Keefe addressed the media after his team’s 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, improving the Leafs’ record to 7-2-0 on the season.


On the team’s success in one-goal games this season (5-0):

I like the way that we have found ways to come out on the positive side of it when it counts the most. I don’t know how many games it is now where we have had a big penalty kill late in the game with the game on the line. We’ve found our way through those.

We give up the lead, and then we bounce right back and get it back, and then make sure we finish the job. That has kind of been the theme. I like that.

I think the thing I like most of all: For the most part, we have defended really well. Not perfect, but… I guess “well” isn’t the right term. We have defended hard. The guys are working and we have really significantly cut down on the high-danger chances and odd-man rushes. The players have been really committed to that.

It has been far from perfect. We have a lot of areas to grow. We are not even close to being the team that we can be and would need to be, but a lot of positive things have gotten us to be 7-2. The greatest news of all is that none of the games have been perfect and there is lots of room for growth.

On the team’s performance in tonight’s win:

I really liked our first period. I liked a lot of things about it. I like how we defended. Offensively, we didn’t have a great deal, but we defended real well. They broke loose a couple of times. It was really just a result of some of our mistakes with the puck. When we make mistakes with the puck, the Oilers transition very well and that is when their best players come alive. But when it is time to defend, we didn’t give them anything in the first period at all.

In the second period, we made it hard on ourselves and we gave them the puck back. They got some life. For the most part, I didn’t like the third goal — the Kassian goal. I didn’t like that goal defensively. But aside from that, our team has defended really well. Ultimately, that is why we are sitting where we are. There are a lot of things with our process of how we play with the puck that can improve.

Obviously, we have to stay out of the penalty box. The penalties have been crazy. Just not good enough.

On Morgan Rielly’s performance level so far this season, particularly in the matchups vs. McDavid:

I think he is skating really well. In these three Oiler games that we have played, in particular, he has played — for the most part — against McDavid, he and Brodie. That is a matchup that a year ago he wouldn’t have had. Now, we have given him that, and he has taken that on. I think he has done a really good job with it. He has still played his game offensively but he has defended fast and hard and competitive. He has been really good.

On the power play’s success to start the season:

Guys have adjusted well. Whether it is Simmonds going into the net front, or the fact that — for the most part — we have used two competitive units and spread it out, the guys have adjusted well with that. When Jumbo was there, it was going well. Kerfoot has come in and has done well. There are times when we have put the two units together — Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander — and those guys have done well as a group. Whatever we have done, the players have responded well. In a season with no exhibition and very limited practice time, that is a very positive thing.

Credit to the players for executing and to Manny for the plan he has put together for those guys.

On Jason Spezza’s performance and whether it speaks to the value of rest:

I think the rest is important. We have to try to manage that when we can when it comes to Spezz. I thought he gave us some good things here today — whether it is power play, he obviously got us the goal, and his line gave us some good shifts at different times. I think he needs to not take that penalty, but whenever we called on him — power play, faceoffs, 5-on-5 — he did a good job. That is what you are looking for in terms of the depth of your team.