Ahead of Wednesday’s Game 1 against the Laval Rocket, Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed Easton Cowan’s desire to make a bigger impact in the second round, the matchup against the Rocket, the status of Matt Benning, and the decision to start Dennis Hildeby in Game 1.
Easton Cowan said he feels like he can be better in the second-round series than he was in the first. What did you see from him in the series against Rochester? What is the next step for him in the playoffs?
Gruden: You have to look back. He has played in two Memorial Cups and World Junior Championships and has played long seasons. This is his rookie year. He was in the lineup and out of the lineup. It is a lot of hockey pressure. Good for him for coming down here to help us out.
It will take some time, but I know he is a gamer. He understands that there are some things (to clean up), but we also have to be patient with him and understand that he has played a lot of hockey. We’ll get him in there. I know that when his back is against the wall, that kid will show up. We will need him.
Cowan mentioned that Brandon Hagel is a bit of a role model for him. Do you see similarities there in their game styles?
Gruden: That’s what he wants to emulate. When I show him some things, he is like, “That is not Brandon Hagel-like.” He understands. He is a smart and gifted hockey player. He likes (big) moments. I don’t think counting him out is a good idea for anyone. We are excited about his progress moving forward.
Bo Groulx spoke glowingly about hoping to return to the AHL to play in the playoffs. You must love that as a coach. Is that what you saw when he came back?
Gruden: He said all the right things. He didn’t come down like that at first, because it takes some time, but in two of those last three games, you saw how good he is when he is on his game, on his toes, and is engaged. Wow. He is a difference-maker. That line was outstanding in two of the three games, and we will need it as we move forward.
It says a lot about his character that he comes down and wants to play in this environment with his teammates. It is special.
Groulx mentioned that the Leafs players were talking about what the Marlies would accomplish in the playoffs.
Gruden: It’s all there for the taking. We have the pieces. We have a good group of guys who get along extremely well. We’ll just try to get out of their way, give them a game plan, and let them go do their thing. We have a lot to look forward to, but it will take a lot of hard work. On every shift, we have to reset and keep it going.
What is Matt Benning’s status?
Gruden: He is still out with an upper-body injury for a while. They’ll re-evaluate it, and hopefully, we’ll get him back. If not, it is next man up. We’ll miss him, but hopefully, we can get a return from him.
The Leafs vs. Habs rivalry is historic. How would you describe the Marlies vs. Rocket rivalry?
Gruden: It’s deep-rooted. I think it is no different. Any time we play, whether it’s in the Bell Centre in preseason or we’re in Laval, it’s pretty exciting and pretty electric. It’s two proud organizations. It seems like the intensity rises a little bit. Now, under the circumstances of the playoffs, it will rise even more.
How do you feel your team matched up against Laval during the regular season?
Gruden: I thought we matched up extremely well, especially when we have some identity pieces in there with Marc Johstone, Michael Pezzetta, and Reese Johnson. We have had some guys step up to the plate who like playing in those moments. It seems like our team feeds off of it.
We’ve had some success against them. At the end of the year, they were a little depleted, but even before that, I liked the way we played. We matched up well against them. Again, it will be an exciting series.
Have you decided on a Game 1 starter?
Gruden: We will give Dennis (Hildeby) a shot. He deserves it. He came in and played outstanding. As I said, we have two great goalies. We’ll let him go; he won, so let him keep going. We’ll play every game as a reset every time.
The two goalies seem to have a good relationship with each other. How helpful is that to you as a coach?
Gruden: Any time you have healthy competition among positions, whether it is goalies or forwards, it is important. They drive each other, as long as it is positive and they’re supporting one another. They get some confidence out of that. It is important that they support each other. It is a tough position. If they don’t have each other, who do they have? It is important for them.
How does Hildeby fit the matchup inside a heavier style of game?
Gruden: I think he fits it perfectly. A couple of their lines like to get to the front of the net. They will be around him quite a bit. Again, we have to make sure we keep them away from Dennis and box out as early as possible, but we also have to stay away from the scrums. They’ll try to goad us into some penalties, for sure, so we’ll have to address that. I thought we did a really good job of that all series.
