Craig Berube on Nikita Grebenkin’s potential: “He doesn’t take any time off, that guy… I like the grit and determination… He has a really good future”

After Tuesday’s practice, head coach Craig Berube discussed Max Domi and Max Pacioretty nearing a return, Ryan Reaves’ return from suspension, and Nikita Grebenkin’s potential. 

Practice Lines – Dec. 3

Leafs lines at practice

Knies – Matthews – Nylander
Holmberg – Tavares – Marner
Robertson – Minten – Lorentz
Grebenkin – Dewar – Reaves
A. Nylander, Domi, Pacioretty

McCabe – Tanev
Rielly – Ekman-Larsson
Benoit – Myers
Rifai, Timmins

Stolarz
Woll@TSN_Edge

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) December 3, 2024

What is Max Domi’s outlook now that he is back at practice but is still in a grey sweater? 

Berube: He is close. He and [Pacioretty] are getting close. It is great they are in practice, and they will continue to practice with us for a bit. When they get the clearance from the doctors, they make the decision on when they are good to go.

Are they both out for Wednesday’s game against Nashville?

Berube: They are not ready for tomorrow.

What has stood out about how Ryan Reaves handled his time off during the suspension? 

Berube: I think it was good. It was a long stretch because the games were spread out, which was difficult for him. At the same time, he got a lot of good work in. He was practicing, skating, and doing extra stuff. He is a hard-working guy.

It is good on one hand but bad on the other, right? It’s a long time to be out, with the stretch (of schedule) being what it was.

What can Reaves bring back to the lineup?

Berube: He brings a lot to our team. He is a great locker room guy and a great team guy. There is the toughness that he brings. When he is out on the ice, people know he is out there. He is a physical player and a smart player. He does things right defensively and drives our game.

This recent stretch with all the injuries and the suspension, is it a good learning opportunity for you as the coach to find out what you have in the organization, with the depth and players like Nikita Grebenkin and Fraser Minten? 

Berube: It is for sure. We get to look at some young guys in the lineup who are getting an opportunity to play and show what they can do. They’ve done a good job.

On the other side of it, there was the character of our team and how they handled the situation throughout this time when we were missing a bunch of players. We are still missing a bunch, but we have to keep grinding and working. It shows that we are playing a good team game. That is what I look at.

What have you made of Grebenkin and his willingness to compete right to the final buzzer?

Berube: He doesn’t take any time off, that guy. He is a hard-working kid. I think he has a really good future. I like the grit and determination that he plays with.

Now, there is a lot to learn. He is a young guy who hasn’t played a lot of pro games over here. He is learning along the way and learning on the fly.

He is strong — a big guy who is strong on the puck, and he just has to learn the game.

What was the message to the power play today?

Berube: Nothing, really. I wanted to grab the one unit at the end. They haven’t had a lot of time together. I wanted them to move the puck around.

Nashville has a really good PK — number one in the league — and they are going to come with a lot of pressure everywhere. For me, it is about quick puck movement and knowing where your outs are. I wanted to get some touches in today with that.

You mixed up the bottom defense pairings today. Is there anything we can read into it ahead of Wednesday’s game?

Berube: Not really. It is just what I did today in practice. We will see tomorrow who I have in there and who I don’t.

What is the biggest thing you learned about Ryan O’Reilly in your time together in St. Louis?

Berube: He reminds me of Johnny Tavares with his preparation on a daily basis, whether it is on or off the ice. These guys have really good routines with what they do before a game or before a practice with their preparation. On the ice, he is constantly working. In optional practices, he is constantly working.

At times, I had to tell him to stay off the ice. He played 20 minutes a night. But he says, “No, I have to get out and get touches and work on my hands.”

Great leader — a quiet leader but a great leader with how he plays the game and what he expects out of himself. I loved him. I had a lot of good times with him coaching him and being around him.

Are you worried that any of your players will be distracted by the Four Nations roster announcement?

Berube: No, not necessarily. It is what it is. What am I going to do? Congrats if you’re in. If you’re not, well, that’s life. Get ready for the game.

Max Pacioretty on the challenge of missing more time through injury

Pacioretty: I’ve been down this road. Heal up and get better as quickly as I can to help the team.

It is no challenge. I’ve been down this road before. I do everything I can to work on some areas I can get better at. That is how I’ve used the last three weeks.

I feel really good.

Pacioretty on the team’s strong play despite injury adversity

Pacioretty: I just like that we are doing what it takes to win hockey games. Sometimes, that is cracking down defensively. Sometimes, it is trying to create a little more offense. Sometimes, it is special teams. Sometimes, you really need your goalie.

There is not one way to win in this league. The teams that only know how to win one way normally don’t go far when it matters most. We’ve won a lot hockey games in a lot of different ways. That is what the good teams do.

Ryan Reaves on the length of his suspension

Reaves: I already told the kids that Christmas is canceled. I don’t want to get fined again. It is over. I am just going to leave it at that.

Reaves on Darnelle Nurse’s comments about the hit: “The only truth that he spoke is that I go out there to inflict pain”

Reaves: When you get caught by someone, I think you are entitled to your opinion. That is fine. I think my 900 games and however many thousands of hit I’ve thrown speaks for itself. I play physical every game, and I have been doing it for 15 years. I have only had a couple of suspensions.

The only truth that he spoke is that I go out there to inflict pain. That is a fact, and that is not going to stop, but I am going to continue to do it legally. I am going to keep playing hard if not harder now and keep burying guys.