Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Maple Leafs
Sheldon Keefe, head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs
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After Monday’s practice, Sheldon Keefe discussed his decision in net for Tuesday night against LA, sorting through the penalty-killing personnel, and Timothy Liljegren’s status after leaving the game injured on Saturday.

Practice lines – Oct. 30

Ilya Samsonov seems to be in a much better place today than where he was on the road trip. Are you going to give him a chance to build some momentum with a start vs. LA on Tuesday night?

Keefe: Woll will play tomorrow, but I do think it is a good chance to get some momentum here in terms of getting back, feeling better about himself, and building off of the work that he had done. He would agree, as we all would, that Joseph Woll did a terrific job for us on that trip. We want to get him back in.

For me, it is a long season. We know we are going to need both guys. We have Woll in a good place. We want to keep building Sammy up and taking advantage of every day.

Certainly, for him, especially being somewhat of a new father. I am sure he feels much better back home. It is tough on all of us being away for as long as we were. It is certainly nice to be back.

What have you noticed about William Nylander’s consistency level to start the season?

Keefe: I think it has been great. To me, maybe what has been consistent is that like last season, he has gotten off to a great start. He looked like he was really prepared coming into training camp and then carried it through to the regular season.

It has been more of the same. The consistency piece is something that is 82 games [long]. It is a long road. Certainly, with the way that he played, he has picked up where he left off in terms of his start to last season.

I know he is really motivated to carry it forward, which I thought he did for the most part last season. There was one segment of last season where it was tough for him, but otherwise, he had a great season last year. It looks like he is motivated to build on that.

You have mentioned that you are looking to manufacture some penalty killers. What have you seen from Nylander in the brief time he has spent there? What potential does he have in that department?

Keefe: Of the guys that are somewhat fresh in their penalty killing, Willy is probably the guy who has done the most coming in. He did it sporadically through the season last year. He was in every meeting all of last season.

I feel like he is the guy who has had the most time and experience and has the least adjustment. That said, I have used him in a very similar role as last year. It is not consistent every single time. It is just kind of managing the situation depending on whether one of our penalty killers takes a penalty or what the rhythm of the game is like.

To me, Willy does a good job of breaking up plays and using his instincts whenever pucks become available. Whether it is Willy or Auston when they are out there or even Mitch, when the plays are kind of broken, the pucks are available, and nothing is really set, they can really get going the other way.

The challenge is when the other team is set and has full control of the play. It is then about consistency, your routes, and taking what you learned in your meetings to prep out onto the ice. There is a lot that goes into it there.

That is where all of our guys are adjusting: the piece where the opposition is set and under control. Those are tough spots. You have to defend those well. You have to be really good with your sticks, your routes, and your positioning. The other team has very good players as well that are on the power play.

With Jake McCabe out for the time being, is it a relief to see Timothy Liljegren back in the mix at practice after leaving the game on Saturday night?

Keefe: Definitely. We didn’t know how that one was going to go. It seemed like it settled down pretty quickly for him. It became more of a muscle spasm situation versus any sort of damage done. I haven’t gotten a report on how he got through today’s practice, but it looked like he was doing well.

Definitely, it is nice to know that we are going to have him. Lagesson gave us good minutes as well. To still have six guys available is very helpful, of course.

Joe Thornton made his retirement official over the weekend. What do you remember about his tenure in Toronto? What is his lasting impact on the group of players here?

Keefe: What I remember most is the passion and energy that he has coming to the rink. For a guy who has played as long as he had at that point — and with everything that he has accomplished in his career — to come into our team and still have the drive and passion…

You look at the guys who play for a long time, and there is a real consistency in the love that they have for the game. That is the common denominator that keeps them hungry. We had Spezza here as well and now Gio. That is the common piece for these guys who have played for a long time.

They love the game, and they seem to have the same energy or in fact more energy probably than when they were younger just because they have developed such an appreciation for being in the NHL and playing hockey.

That is what I really remember. That is what I think is part of the lasting piece in his short time here. It gave our guys that sense of the importance of remaining connected to having fun and enjoying every day.

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