After Monday’s practice, Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed Ben Danford joining the Marlies’ playoff run, Danford’s acclimation process to pro playoff hockey, Easton Cowan’s second-round performance, and the challenge against the Cleveland Monsters in the third round.
Ben Danford has joined the team. What is the plan for him?
Gruden: We know what his capabilities are. It is a tough loss for him (in the OHL). I still have a soft spot for the Bulldogs. But I guess it is a consolation prize, in that regard, that he is here.
He is a presence. Again, we’ll try to acclimate him with the group. He’ll fit in. He’s a great teammate. We’ll evaluate from there. But having him around will definitely be a boost of energy for the older and younger players.
What kind of a jump is it to go from juniors to the pros for Danford?
Gruden: It is always a difference just from the physical matchups. The guys are stronger and bigger. But there are a lot of things that are the same.
The hockey instincts are there for him. With the way he defends, he is cognizant of his own end. That will help him with the transition, and obviously, the experience in the World Juniors, too, with the competition that was there.
He’ll handle his own. It will take him to get acclimated, but good players like that find a way to figure it out.
What can Danford take away from this experience with the pros to end his season?
Gruden: It makes a huge difference for him. I know he has played a lot of hockey with tryouts and so forth for the World Juniors. Being here and seeing the difference will only help for next year. Playoff hockey is different in any league. It doesn’t matter if it is OHL, AHL, or NHL; it is different. Things tighten up. The experience he’ll gain from it will be tremendous.
What were you most proud of regarding the way your team handled the hostile environment in Laval for Game 5?
Gruden: A sign of a good team is how we continued to get better as the game went on. Usually, when you are a good team, you can outplay the other team in two out of three, which I thought we did in the second and third, and give yourself a really good chance to win.
I didn’t know this, but I saw it after the fact. It was their only loss going into the third. It is a credit to them, but it is also a bigger credit to our players to do that in that moment, which was huge.
What did you appreciate about how Artur Akhtyamov handled it? They were trying to get to him as a young goalie.
Gruden: It goes into his demeanour. Both goalies have a great demeanor to them, where they are not too high or low. That mindset helped them a lot. He didn’t get rattled at all. Good for him. Obviously, our team rallied behind that.
Did you get a chuckle out of Dakota Mermis’ celebration with the beer at the end?
Gruden: I received a couple of texts from people I usually [don’t hear from], saying they enjoyed it quite a bit. He got a few as well. At the moment, it was kind of a great reaction. Hey, nothing is like winning a road playoff game, especially in Laval.
In talking to Easton Cowan before the series, he mentioned that he believed he had another level to reach. How did you feel about his game in the second round?
Gruden: There was a game where he was dominant and played extremely well. With players of his calibre, they feed off points and goals. We just don’t want him to focus on that. The goals and points will come. It’s about making sure he is doing the little things: playing in straight lines, being responsible.
I thought he handled it extremely well. I liked their line, with the way we have the combinations, and he will only continue to get better.
There is a little break before the next series. What do you want to accomplish before you head to Cleveland?
Gruden: This is a different opponent. I want our players to enjoy it. They deserve that. Now, it’s about recharging. Once we get back to a full practice tomorrow, we want to make sure we are dialed in, focused, and understand what it will continue to take to advance. It starts with our locker room. We have a great locker room and a great group of guys. They need to take the time to re-energize, but then be ready to discuss come practice on Tuesday.
What kind of contact have you had with Mats Sundin and John Chayka since they arrived? What kind of feedback have you received from them?
Gruden: Not much. Just a congratulations text, which was nice to receive.
We are going to go about our business, but it is always nice for them to check in and know that they’re watching.
