Ahead of Tuesday’s game against St. Louis, Sheldon Keefe discussed the status of his injured players, adapting to the loss of Morgan Rielly during his suspension, and the challenge against the Blues.
What is the latest on the collection of injured and ill players?
Keefe: Conor Timmins has mono, so he is going to be out for an indefinite period of time depending on how it goes in the coming days or weeks.
Mark Giordano and David Kampf will play tonight and are good to go.
Martin Jones is day-to-day with an injury that popped up later in the day yesterday. Dennis Hildeby will come up to back up tonight.
Are you resigned to whatever happens with Morgan Rielly’s hearing?
Keefe: It is out of my hands. It is game day. The process will play itself out, and we will deal with the result.
Do you think this can be a galvanizing moment for the team?
Keefe: Not specific to this situation (with Rielly), I think any time something like this happens — injury or otherwise — it gets the team’s attention. You can galvanize or rally around that.
In my time here, the team has done it quite well. Last season, we had a number of injuries on defense, and guys came in and did a good job. Everyone around them played better. It ended up being one of our best stretches of the season at a time when it could have gone really bad. The team was trying to find its way.
Even this season, we have had injuries on defense. We weren’t sure about our depth on defense. Guys came in and did a really good job for us. If you look at a case such as Benoit’s, he hasn’t looked back from that.
In some of these cases, some great things can come up. Max Domi played maybe his best game as a Leaf when we lost Auston Matthews. Whether it is Morgan’s situation or any of the other injuries that we have — and we have at least one more game-time decision tonight — it is a chance for the team to rally around it and be better.
What leads to players finding success when they take on more minutes at times like this?
Keefe: It is a combination of things.
The first thing is to not try to do too much or feel like the responsibility is bigger than anything you are capable of. It is more about getting out there and playing.
Sometimes, for some players, it works out better because you are thinking less. You just have to go. You don’t have time to get in your head. When you make a mistake, you are likely going right back out.
Sometimes, when these things happen and you have no choice but to count on others, it can benefit guys. In some cases, too, guys just get really excited about a chance to go out and show that they can play. Everybody is looking for more opportunities always, whether it is going well or not so well. Guys want to play, and they want to play a lot.
That is where we are at here. I am excited for the team to go out and respond.
With his ability to play different positions and in different spots, is Pontus Holmberg kind of your Swiss army knife at times when there is a lot of movement in the lineup?
Keefe: That is the way it has gone here. Swedish army knife, though. He is a versatile guy.
Because of his skill set and intelligence, he gives you the confidence that he can do that. We used him primarily as a center when he was with us last year. This season, coming back, we used him on the wing a couple of times. We wanted to get a look at that.
He has moved all around the lineup. Some of it is circumstantial. Some of it is because of his skill set and how we think he can fit in with others while trying to give him extra experience.
He has done really well for us. I am familiar with him, but we have some new coaches on our staff. On the management side, he is new to Tre, who is getting to see him every day. He is earning more and more trust and respect with each day that passes.
Have you considered going with five forwards on the power play in Rielly’s absence?
Keefe: We talked about it. It is still an option for us.
Quite honestly, it is something that is specific to how St. Louis penalty kills and how we feel we need to play against them. They create a lot of offense on the PK, so it is one thing to be aware of. With some of the nuances in the zone, we think it is better for us to have forwards in more natural positions.
McCabe, as a left-hander with that group, is more similar to Rielly. It came down to the handedness thing for us. We debated Liljegren or McCabe, but for today’s game and this opponent, we are going with more of a traditional look for us.
What is the biggest challenge against St. Louis?
Keefe: I would say their offense and transition. Their top guys are Thomas and Kyrou, and Kyrou is right at the top of the league at chances generated off the rush. He is very skilled and very dangerous. If you make a mistake or fall asleep just a bit, he hurts you.
There are lots of similarities there to Ottawa, the type of game that they play, and the type of offense that they can counter with. Obviously, they have a ton of confidence and are winning lots of games of late. It is a dangerous group that way.
They have lots of veterans on defense who know how to play and have some depth at forward, too, with veteran experience down the lineup and young skill up high.
They are right there with some of the top offensive teams in the league.
Do you know head coach Drew Bannister at all? He passed through the Soo.
Keefe: I do know Drew. I was thrilled to see him get his opportunity. He came in after me in Sault Ste. Marie. Through that transition, we talked a bunch. He had a lot of success there and then went on to the American league and worked his way through.
The team is growing under him. Thrilled for him.
