After Thursday’s practice, head coach Jim Hiller discussed Nick Paul’s status, the “skating” he wants to define the team, Matthew Knies’ performance against Ottawa, and the upcoming team trip to Arizona.

What is the latest you can tell us about Nick Paul?

Hiller: He obviously didn’t skate today. It’s nothing that we’re overly concerned about, but we have to take it day by day. That’s what we’re doing.

Can you say whether he’ll be available for the season opener next week?

Hiller: No, I can’t say that. I can’t say that with certainty.

As camp winds down, what word would you use to describe the identity you want this team to have?

Hiller: I’m going to give you one word. I watched it last night in particular, and even in the first couple of games in the split squad. I would say skating. I told you guys in my press conference that if you watch the Leafs play and you say they’re skating, on most nights, you’ll know we’re happy with how we’re playing.

The results can be very finicky sometimes, but if you’re skating back and forth… I think you saw it last night, in particular, in our home game, with a lot of guys tracking back and lifting sticks. We saw a lot of that stuff when we’re skating. We’ll take the results when we’re skating.

What was your initial reaction to the idea of going to Arizona, and why could the trip be good for this group?

Hiller: I think it’s great. Anytime you have as many new faces — coaches and management included — everybody getting a chance to go away together, wherever it might be, is always good. It’s a time to laugh a little bit and let loose a little bit.

You might say Arizona is so far, but our captain lives there. I know he’s got some plans for the guys, and the weather is pretty good. We’ll take it, enjoy it, and take the positives that come with it.

Do you lose any practice time because of the length of the trip?

Hiller: No, not really. We’ve just gone four days in a row here, so tomorrow will be a day off. We’ll practice the next day and come home. It works out really well.

We saw you speaking with Matthew Knies before practice. What was your message to him?

Hiller: We watched video before the practice started, and he was in most of the positive clips. It was some of the stuff we talked about: skating back, lifting sticks, winning puck battles. Sometimes you get rewarded on the scoresheet for those plays, but sometimes you just don’t. He led our team in those plays and in those areas last night. I just let him know it was a positive game for him and he can build on that.

When you were here previously, Auston Matthews was a young player and wasn’t the captain. What is it like working with him now, and seeing how he has changed off the ice?

Hiller: He hasn’t changed much. He probably could have been an NHL captain when he walked into the room at 19 years old. He just has that presence about him. You guys know that, and that’s the beauty of him. He is who he is. He doesn’t put on airs for anybody.

He’s a great person, very aware of the surroundings of others and a caring person toward his teammates. For me, he hasn’t changed one bit. That’s who he is.

What have you liked about Zack MacEwen’s game?

Hiller: We liked the physicality. I know he scored last night, but equally — or probably more — important to us was that there was some stuff going on, and he was able to get in there fairly quickly and do his job.

What have you seen from Nick Blankenburg?

Hiller: He’s an NHL defenseman, and we know that. We were fortunate he was able to come to our camp. Those guys were good in there last night. We had the majority of our team here (in Toronto). You had Duhaime, Blueger, Blankenburg, and Andrae, and those were the dedicated NHLers in there. They led that team. He, among those four, is doing a tremendous job.

How do you feel about the shortened training camp now that you’re in it?

Hiller: Under these circumstances, coming in and joining the team this year, I would probably prefer a longer camp. But whatever. I think the players come in in great shape. They’re ready to go, and they’re probably loving this right now.

As a new coaching staff, you always overthink things. You want to do this and you want to do that. Maybe it’s a blessing for us that the coaches can’t overcoach it.

Practice Lines – September 24

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