After Thursday’s practice, head coach Craig Berube discussed Dakota Joshua’s areas for improvement, the five-forward power play with Auston Matthews at the top, Max Domi’s defensive play, and Joseph Woll’s impact on the team since his return.
What is the biggest area for improvement for Dakota Joshua?
Berube: Getting to his identity. He is a big guy. He has to be a physical and hard player to play against. He is going to make and score his goals around the net, right? A little more puck touches in the offensive zone from the forecheck, and then getting to the net front and winning those battles there and tipping pucks. He has good hand-eye. He has the capability of putting the puck in the net.
That is where I see his game can improve, but it is about getting there. From our zone out, it is about anticipating and being direct — not only him, but his linemates — and putting him in a good spot on the forecheck. If a puck enters the zone under control, get to the net and do your work there. Disrupt the other team that way, and make it hard. They don’t want to box him out. He is a big guy. He can be more engaged that way.
In your experience, when you scratch a player, what can be the benefit in the long term?
Berube: I think some players need a reset. There are different situations where you scratch a guy, and it is not because of effort or anything with him. I just felt like he needed a reset. Sometimes, that puts a little more fire into him, too. That is part of it all. It is a tough part for everybody — not so much me, as it is my job, but it is tough on a player. Sometimes, it gives them a little reset, and sometimes, it puts a little more fire in them.
Will Joshua be back in the lineup for Friday’s game?
Berube: Yes.
You seemed reluctant to try the five-forward power play once Mitch Marner left. Why are you trying it now?
Berube: Well, Matty has been out. Going back to when Mo was out there with Matty, we had them rotating a little bit, so Matty ended up at the top, and Mo would be on the flank. It’s a different look.
For me, it is about Matty getting the puck more on his stick and using his shot and ability up top to not only elude defenders but also use his shot and make plays to the flank. He has good quickness up there.
I liked the way it looked today in practice; that’s practice, but we have to try to get something going here on the PP. We need our power play to help us score goals.
So you don’t mind Matthews shooting from far away up top, as opposed to the flank?
Berube: No. If you look at last year with Mitch, he put a lot of pucks into that area with Johnny and Kniesy at the net. We scored a lot of goals that way. Those guys have heavy sticks and can tip pucks. They are good around the net. With Matthews’ shot, he has more volume on it than Mitch’s, but he can put pucks in there, sift them in there, and shoot them in there.
There will be different looks for him up top. When he is on the flank, they take him away a lot, so he is not getting the shots and isn’t getting the volume. We are not getting the puck in his hands enough. Hopefully, up top, he gets the puck more.
Is there anything more you want to see from Max Domi defensively?
Berube: I don’t know if it is the defensive side of things. Positionally, he has been solid. I know his plus/minus doesn’t say that, but I wouldn’t say positioning causes a lot of that. It is just getting engaged more in the game. He has to get dirty down low in the offensive zone, get engaged that way, and get to the inside of the ice more. When he is skating and moving, he is an effective player, but it is too inconsistent.
Did you get an explanation for the Dakota Mermis penalty in Columbus?
Berube: No, I thought it was a terrible call. I know you can’t rip a guy’s helmet off, but that wasn’t intentional. They were going at it, and he got punched in the head twice already. I get that you want to even it up — that is fine — but he is pulling the guy down, and the helmet comes off. It is an accidental play. It is a tough call, I thought.
How did you manage your frustration in that moment on the bench?
Berube: You have to show composure. I think it is okay to let referees know you are not happy with a call, but at the same time, we can’t be focused on the referees. We have to make sure we are focused on the game. It is my job to keep my composure so that our players have composure.
Do you think Matthew Knies could use Tom Wilson as a blueprint for what he could grow into?
Berube: Definitely. They’re different, though. Tom Wilson came into the league as more of… I wouldn’t say an enforcer, but it was a big part of his identity coming out of junior hockey. Kniesy came out of college hockey, and it is a different mindset, right? But, for sure, he can be that type of player to a certain extent, in my opinion.
Joseph Woll played a tremendous game in Columbus. When it comes to building confidence, what does a goalie do for a team?
Berube: It definitely does give the team confidence knowing he is back there doing his job above and beyond, making the saves and giving us the opportunity to win a game. It just rubs off on the team. It gives you more confidence to do things up the ice.
Has Woll improved in terms of his puck handling? Some of the players have remarked on it.
Berube: I think his puck handling started to improve last year. We just made a focus of it last year with our goalies, handling the puck and playing the puck. From constantly working on it with Curtis Sanford and the coaches, it has gotten better.
Practice Lines – Nov. 27
Lines at Leafs practice
Knies – Matthews – Robertson
Domi – Tavares – Cowan
Joshua – Roy – McMann
Lorentz – Laughton – Jarnkrok
MaccelliRielly – Ekman-Larsson
Benoit – McCabe
Mermis – Stecher
Myers, CarloWoll
HildebyAbsent: Nylander
at Caps tomorrow@TSN_Sports pic.twitter.com/9YbOiklvIp
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) November 27, 2025
