After Wednesday’s practice, Sheldon Keefe discussed Ilya Samsonov rejoining the team and Matthew Knies’ status after picking up a minor injury in practice.
Practice Lines – January 10
Lines at Leafs practice
Robertson – Matthews – Marner
Bertuzzi – Tavares – Nylander
Holmberg – Domi – Jarnkrok
McMann – Kampf – Gregor
ReavesRielly – Brodie
Benoit – McCabe
Lagesson – Liljegren
TimminsSamsonov
Absent: Jones, Giordano, Knies @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) January 10, 2024
What is the initial outlook for Matthew Knies?
Keefe: It looks good. We are not going to know until tomorrow, but it looks good. He is not ruled out for tomorrow’s game.
Do you know what happened?
Keefe: I saw it. It looked pretty innocent. He just kind of tweaked something. He was fearful that it was something bad, but sometimes, these things settle down. That seems to be the case, but we won’t really know until it settles when he wakes up tomorrow and we see where he is at.
What comes next for Ilya Samsonov?
Keefe: He will come on the trip with us. He will back up tomorrow night. It was a chance for us to get him back up here today and get him back into practice with us — to get him back on the ice with Curtis Sanford and really see where he is at since we left. It is partly about that.
It is equally, if not more, about Dennis Hildeby. We gave him the day off today. He was assigned to the Marlies, but it was a day off today. It is a chance to practice with the Marlies tomorrow when we are away and then get a game in with the Marlies on Friday. That is really what it is about.
At the same time, it gives us a chance to assess Ilya and give him an opportunity to get back with the group.
Is there something you need to see from him before he starts again?
Keefe: You want to see him play with confidence in the net. Right now, all we have to go off of is practices. You want to see him practice well and have good habits. You want to see him have life about him and confidence.
That is it. It is a chance to assess him. Today is a good day for him to work with Curtis again and be around our team for a bit. We will reassess after Friday.
What is behind the decision for Ilya Samsonov not to speak with the media today?
Keefe: It is part of what he is going through now. Part of it is physical. More of it is mental. You guys are all fine people and all, but when you are going through something, it doesn’t help. It hurts. We are here to help and support the players.
The time will come when you will get a chance to speak to him for sure, but we are trying to do everything we can to get the player back to himself. Bringing him back here to throw him out to answer all sorts of questions is not conducive to the goal.
What is your sense of where Samsonov is at right now?
Keefe: I think he was very appreciative of how we have handled it over the last bit and how he has been able to work with Hannu Toivonen. It is a combination of spending some time alone working on his game and lots of time in the gym with lots of time to clear his head.
When you go through the mental side of it, he got a good practice with the Marlies yesterday. He got more of those types of reps, which are important for him.
He is going through it right now. We have to help him through that, but also, he has to help himself. In the meantime, we have to continue to do what is right for Hildeby and his development.
Your counterpart with the Raptors went on a pretty epic rant last night talking about the officiating. What is your take on what it is like managing the emotions coming straight off the ice as a coach?
Keefe: It is a challenge for sure. It is part of the job. Sometimes, it is blowing off steam. Sometimes it is calculated, too. You are trying to send a message for your team and for your players.
I don’t know the specifics of what you are talking about, but that is what you go through as a coach. You are trying to manage and process all of that.
Is it still nice to hear when a coach rants at a ref?
Keefe: There is no shortage of examples of that.
