Craig Berube on Connor Dewar’s play since returning from injury: “He’s been very useful… A good energy player who skates, gets on top of things, and finishes his checks”

Ahead of Friday’s game, head coach Craig Berube discussed the decision to keep Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner together, moving Fraser Minten back to 3C to start the game, and the recent play of Philippe Myers, Morgan Rielly, and Connor Dewar.

Morning Skate Lines – December 6

Lines at Leafs skate

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

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

Stolarz in starter’s net
Woll @TSN_Edge

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) December 6, 2024

Was it an easy decision to keep Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner together?

Berube: With the way it ended up last game, I think we start that way tonight. Sometimes, you change things up in games and it works, so you stick with it and see how it goes.

How much do you talk to those two about who they are playing with and when, or do you just make the call?

Berube: I have conversations with guys on when I am going to move things around — not so much in the game, as that is spur-of-the-moment, but in practice, it’s, “Hey, I am going to put you here today, and this is why. This is what I am thinking about how we are going to run the lines.”

Normally, it’s pretty easy.

Was there any temptation to keep Fraser Minten on the William Nylander and John Tavares line? 

Berube: There is, but I do like him in the middle of the ice. Having him down there in that spot in his position, he is a solid defender down low, and he makes that line stronger, in my opinion.

What have you thought of Philippe Myers, given he played so little to start the season?

Berube: He has been good. He has come in and done the job.

He has moved pucks just by being simple. He has used his shot really well. His shot is a strength of his game, as well as moving the puck and giving it to the right person. He makes simple plays, and he has defended well.

He is a big guy who takes the body. We’ve used him on the penalty kill. He’s been fine.

How would you evaluate Morgan Rielly’s game overall?

Berube: I think he has played really well for us. He is used to getting up in the play, and he still does. He is picking his spots really well with that and defending well. He has done a good job for us, in my opinion.

With all of the back-to-backs this year, what do you think of the way your team has approached it?

Berube: So far, it has been fine. We do have a lot. We have made some adjustments where we put different guys in the next night and have more fresh legs. Those are decisions that we have to keep looking at going forward, using the bodies if we have them and getting some fresh legs in there.

Overall, our mindset is playing smart in back-to-back games. Travel makes a difference, too. It is just managing the game more than anything. It is the most important thing when playing back-to-backs.

Your team is leading the league in offensive-zone faceoff wins. Is that something that the new staff has enhanced, or do you just have a lot of good faceoff men?

Berube: We are pretty detailed with the faceoff portion of our game. We go over it a lot, both offensively and defensively.

I think our centermen have done a fabulous job this year. It is their job to go in there and instruct the information of what we are going to do. They have done a good job of it. It makes a big difference when you are detailed in your faceoff circle.

Regarding the amount of coaching that you do with the players — and other coaches in the league — how does it compare to when you were a player in the league? 

Berube: There is obviously a lot more video than when I played and a lot more instruction system-wise. Early on in my career and throughout a lot of it, you know what your role is on the team, and you go out and do it. Nowadays, the defensive side of things and the systems are really important. Every team is really detailed in that part of it.

Do you like the way Connor Dewar’s game has progressed since returning from the shoulder injury?

Berube: Yeah. He has provided some real energy for us penalty killing and playing his game. I have been happy with him and how he is performing out there.

He is a good energy player who skates, gets on top of things, and finishes his checks. He has done a good job in the penalty killing situations and at the end of games when trying to hold leads. He has been very useful.

The Capitals look a little different without Alex Ovechkin, but they have won as much as anyone in the NHL. How do you prepare for them?

Berube: They are a very good team. They score a lot. They’re a good rush team. They are a big, heavy team, in my opinion. They are going to forecheck hard, and they are good on the rush.

We had our hands full [in Washington] for that game. I don’t expect anything different. I know Ovechkin played that game, but they are still playing really good hockey without him.

Is Jake McCabe continuing to progress?

Berube: I haven’t checked today after he skated, so I will. He is on the ice, so he is going in the right direction right now.

What was the thought process on keeping McCabe out tonight after he skated yesterday and today?

Berube: He is not ready to play. That’s really it.