Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach
Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach

Ahead of Friday’s game in NYC, head coach Craig Berube discussed the decision to insert Ryan Reaves into the lineup, the rotation in net, and the fast-approaching trade deadline.

Morning Skate Lines – Feb. 28

What made this game the right time to reinsert Ryan Reaves into the lineup?

Berube: Rempe over there is an effective player, in my opinion. He is physical. He is a hard guy to handle. I wanted to get Reavo in there.

Did you see those two fight last season?

Berube: I did see it a while ago. I haven’t watched it in a while. Maybe I’ll pull it up this afternoon.

What do you remember about the hype around Rempe when he first arrived with the Rangers?

Berube: As a kid coming up as he did in the league — with what he has done and tried to accomplish in order to make a name for himself — he is an effective guy that way. When you are facing a guy like Ryan Reaves and the Toronto Maple Leafs, there is going to be some hype, for sure.

I don’t expect much hype tonight. Just go out and play. If something happens, it happens. Reavo in the lineup maybe deters him from being as physical as he has been, or their whole team, for that matter. That is the reason I went with him tonight.

What is your sense of Auston Matthews’ energy levels after a few days away from game action?

Berube: I didn’t find his energy was that down or anything like that. He played a lot of minutes in the last game, but before that, I was trying to keep him and Mitch a little lower, coming off of 4 Nations.

He is playing a pretty good game, in my opinion. Is it going into the net? No, but the chances are there. You have to focus on the positives.

Could he get to the net, maybe, and score some dirty goals? That is an option, for sure, and an idea. When things aren’t going into the net, sometimes, you have to get a greasy goal here and there. It is not for a lack of chances. He hit two posts again in the last game. He is getting looks.

I am more focused on him playing a good, solid 200-foot game. That is my message to him. He just needs to continue to do that. He is in all critical situations out there. He is going against the best players on the other team night in and night out. He has to do the right things.

Do we need him to score? Yes, we do, and I think the scoring will come.

Did you see any aftereffects for William Nylander after the issue kept him out of overtime in Boston?

Berube: It’s business as usual. He feels good. Something happened in the game. He didn’t feel he could go out there in overtime. That is all it was. He is 100% today.

With Anthony Stolarz starting this game, do you anticipate going back and forth from here on in, or are you looking for one to steal it?

Berube: It’s a good question.

Going into the playoffs, there is normally one guy who is going to take control of it. Sometimes, you have to make switches, which I have done in the past. I remember I started Husso against Minnesota in the playoffs. I thought he was the better goalie down the stretch. He played the first two games. And then Binnington came in, and we won the series. Binnington played until he got hurt against Colorado and played extremely well. He got hurt, so Husso had to go in.

There are always things you are going to have to change, but going into the playoffs, you want one guy to be ready to take it.

Why did you go with Stolarz tonight?

Berube: Woll is a little under the weather.

Why did you settle on a Jake McCabe pairing with Philippe Myers in Chris Tanev’s absence?

Berube: I didn’t want to split up the other two pairs. They have been playing together for a bit. I just put Myers in there and kept the other two together.

With the trade deadline a week away, how often are you talking to Brad Treliving about the roster and what it needs?

Berube: We are communicating about that daily — the rosters, the players, what we could use, and what would help us. It is a daily conversation with him.

Are you the type to follow trade rumours around the league?

Berube: A little bit when it comes up sometimes on my phone, if I am looking at it. I don’t go looking for it, that’s for sure, but sometimes, stuff pops up on my phone, and I’ll read it. But I am aware of most of the things that are going around.

Did it pop up on your phone that Brayden Schenn hit 1,000 games?

Berube: Yeah, I congratulated him today. I love that player. I love the guy. He is a super human being. 1,000 games is a lot of games in the league. He is a dedicated player.

Guys who can play that long are dedicated to the game. They do all of the right things throughout the summer, game in and game out, preparing. He is a very prepared player, but he looks after his body, and he looks after himself.

He loves the game. He is a hockey nerd. It was great to see him reach 1,000 games. Very happy for him.

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