Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Maple Leafs practice
Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Maple Leafs practice
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After Wednesday’s practice, Sheldon Keefe discussed the status of John Klingberg and Conor Timmins ahead of this weekend’s games, managing the transition back into the regular NHL schedule, and the use of neck guards by some of the players in practice.

Practice Lines – Nov. 22

Mark Giordano, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Simon Benoit were wearing neck guards in practice. Is it encouraging to see them trying it out?

Keefe: Yeah, I think it makes a lot of sense. I am in full support of guys if they are comfortable doing that. At this point, guys are just experimenting to see what works for them.

It is a very personal thing, especially when we are in the midst of a season and guys are performing at the highest level with lots of pressure and expectations. They are very particular about their gear and stuff like that, but the more players that do it, it makes them safer.

It is also an important message to young people. It is an important piece of equipment. For those who are not playing at the highest level and are not playing at the same level of expectation or pressure, safety should be of the utmost priority.

Where do things stand with John Klingberg?

Keefe: No update on him other than to say he is continuing to work through things. We will have something for you when something has changed. At this point, there is no change in his status.

Is it safe to say he won’t be available for the games this week?

Keefe: It is safe to say that, yes.

Are you penciling in Conor Timmins for Friday’s game in Chicago or will you wait until tomorrow?

Keefe: We will wait until tomorrow just to see. Today was a real fast and competitive practice for him. It was at a much higher pace than anything we had when we were over in Sweden. That was a good test for him. We will see how he responds tomorrow and make the determination from there.

What is your sense of the group in today’s practice coming off of a couple of days off following the flights?

Keefe: The sense is that the guys have come back with a lot of energy. It seems like they are more like themselves and the recovery has gone well if today’s practice is any indication.

How they bounce back and go at it again tomorrow will be a strong indicator for us of where exactly they are at having had two days off the ice and been away. Now, we did have a bunch of guys that found their way in here yesterday just to get a little active, but the two days away with the mental break in and of itself kind of recharges them.

Today was really good. Tomorrow will be a real indicator of exactly where we are at, but it was encouraging today.

Guy Boucher coached a Senators team that went to Europe, came back, and didn’t have a good run afterward. What have you talked to him about in regards to coming back from these trips and the challenges involved?

Keefe: Just about not underrating it and giving it the proper attention that it deserves. It is a real thing that you have to manage. You can’t just expect the guys to push through and grind through without us being really smart and deliberate about doing what we can to take care of them.

How we have handled the return coming home on Sunday night, and then the last couple of days, is about them kind of finding themselves and getting what they need out of it. We are at the rink here and tomorrow. We have another funky start time on Friday. It is not a regular game-day routine, so it is a lot like what we had in Sweden in that sense.

It is just about being really purposeful in what we are doing and giving them every opportunity to bounce back. That has really been the message not just from Guy but from everyone else that I have spoken to, whether it is other coaches in other organizations or people in our organization who have made these trips, be it in the NHL or with national teams.

You have to be smart about it and not disregard it as just hockey and part of the schedule. It is something that really needs our attention.

How do you reflect on the Sweden trip overall in terms of the team’s play, with the travel, the distractions off the ice, and coming out of it with a couple of victories?

Keefe: I love that we found ways to get our points. We found ways to get wins, whether it was Willy coming through in big moments… Willy’s overtime goal was a huge moment, and some of his play in the third period against Detroit was great. Also, John Tavares and Tyler Bertuzzi were a really big part of that as well.

The Matthews and Marner line scored us two big goals at five-on-five against Minnesota. The PK didn’t allow anything when we were out there. There were a lot of good things that happened that allowed us to get points. That was really good.

We didn’t play our best hockey for sure, but there were a lot of encouraging signs in how the group pulled together in big moments to make sure we got our points. That is a big part of it. You are always seeking to play a perfect game or as close to a perfect game as you can get. You want to feel great about how you are playing. You want to make sure you are not losing points while you are doing that. You have to put them in the bank when you can. That is what we were able to do.

William Nylander has been able to make plays curling high in the offensive zone. What do you notice about his effectiveness in that area of the ice?

Keefe: It is a dangerous area to be in, first of all. Not many players can play there and thrive. There are risks that come with it. If you turn the puck over in that space, it is a pretty dangerous opportunity going the other way.

You have to find the timing and the pocket, and then you usually have to evade a check. That is what he does really well. Mitch is also elite at that. When guys come to eventually close on him, he is comfortable challenging one-on-one, protecting the puck, and getting into safety, if not into an area where he can generate a scoring chance.

His ability to get out of that situation… When I say get out of it, you put yourself there to make the other team a little vulnerable, and once they close on you, you have to find your way out. There are some players and a lot of teams in the league that will kind of bait you to use that space, and then they will take it away and they’re gone.

When he is at his best, Willy gets to that space and he turns it into something very positive for us.

The NWHL training camps are underway now, and Troy Ryan is coaching Toronto. You were the first person to reach out to him to congratulate him on the job. Why was that important to you?

Keefe: I know Troy a bit. I coached against him back in my junior A days when he was out in the Maritimes and I was in Pembroke.  We have some history there and have crossed paths at some of the Hockey Canada stuff. I know he has done a terrific job with the national team. I have followed him along there.

To see him come to Toronto was nice to see. I just wanted to welcome him and let him know I am available if he needs anything. It is terrific to be sharing the space with them. It is a terrific thing for not just those women but all young girls out there who are aspiring to compete in the game at the highest level.

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