Ahead of the Leafs vs. Devils matchup on Tuesday, New Jersey head coach Sheldon Keefe discussed Auston Matthews’ goal-scoring greatness, his team’s offensive success in the second period against the Leafs on Oct. 21, and the Devils losing three in a row since the return of Jack Hughes and Timo Meier from injury.
Auston Matthews is five goals away from breaking Mats Sundin’s franchise record for goals. What do we on the outside not see about Auston’s ability to score goals?
Keefe: I’ve said it a lot (over the years). The work that he does to score at that level; the work he does behind the scenes; the drive he has in the offseason to make adjustments and find different ways to score to stay ahead of the curve and ahead of the checking and defending in the league; learning from other players and finding every edge possible, whether it is changing sticks or what have you — it is always about trying to get better.
I have a tremendous amount of respect for Auston and the way he can not only score but also defend and do so many things really well. When it comes, it will be a tremendous honour for him, and certainly well deserved because of the work he puts in.
You have a real grip on the organization’s history. Matthews is going to set this record at 28 years old, and with the number of good players who have played on the team, what does it mean historically that he is on the verge of accomplishing it?
Keefe: It is obviously remarkable. I grew up in this area, and I know the history of the Leafs fairly well. Mats Sundin, in particular, is a guy you watch growing up, and I played against him a little bit. You saw how great a player he was and how great a Leaf he was.
It is his rightful place. Auston has certainly earned it. The evidence is there. He works extremely hard and puts in a lot of time. It is a great story, too. You have a kid from Scottsdale, Arizona, who comes into the Toronto Maple Leafs, of all places, and has such an achievement. It is tremendous.
You have a big back-to-back coming up after some rest and relaxation. What is the focus for your group, especially against a Leafs team that has some injury issues of its own?
Keefe: The focus is — and has been for some time — on our team. We are coming off a couple of practice days, and there was a break. There were parts of the Washington game we really liked and want to embrace, like our second period, mainly.
The focus is on our side, but at the same time, you know you are going to have a hungry team on the other side. I mean, we have played with as many as eight guys out of the lineup at different times this year and played some really good hockey at different points there. Nothing should change from our standpoint.
I am anxious and excited to see how our team comes out to play today.
Your team had an explosive second period in the last game in Toronto, scoring four goals in the middle 20 in your 5-2 win on October 21.
Keefe: When we have played our best hockey, the second period has been the separator for us. We talk a lot about that right from training camp on through. A lot of the best teams in the league really pull away from you in the second period. We talk a lot about it, how to manage it, and how to create sequences that can allow us to take over games and pull away from teams.
The model was there the last time we were in here, and we’ve seen it at different times, but we just haven’t seen it enough. We are hoping it can come together here, but the first and third periods are equally important. We have to get those right, too.
You recently got some of your top players back in Jack Hughes and Timo Meier. It has only been two games, but are you starting to see it gel again?
Keefe: I think the practices have been helpful, but with Jack and Arseny Gritsyuk coming off injuries, they hadn’t played in quite some time and also hadn’t practiced. They didn’t get one team practice. Coming out of Christmas, and getting a couple of practices the last couple of days, hopefully goes a long way for them.
In terms of them coming back in, we had won four of six games and liked a lot of things we were doing before those guys came back. They come in, and we add three new guys with Timo coming back as well. They’re high-skilled guys who are play drivers for us. It kind of changes the dynamic and feel of the team.
That is what I haven’t liked. We haven’t been as connected and consistent as I thought we were prior. That’s what we’re looking for: those guys playing better and making the difference offensively, but also having our entire unit connected and playing well together.
Is it about the team wanting to rely too much on the returning players, or is it about finding a new rhythm with them back?
Keefe: The rhythm is different with different guys coming in, but the style of the game is going to change a little bit when you have offensive play drivers. You have the puck a little bit more. The style of the game ends up changing a bit, and you have to make some adjustments within that for the entire group. At times, we maybe get a little carried away and careless with the puck, especially when those guys haven’t been as sharp with the time missed.
After a couple of practice days for those guys and our entire time, I am expecting it to be a lot more reflective of what we are trying to do as a team.
When Hughes and Meier come back, do the guys start to think, “The mail is going to be carried now,” and those who were driving it previously start relaxing a bit?
Keefe: I don’t think it’s about relaxing, but it’s recalibrating the group.
You didn’t mention Gritsyuk, and you wouldn’t know him as well, because he is just kind of making his way through the NHL. But he has been a very big part of our team when we are playing well, with the way he drives the line, makes plays, is good defensively, and is hard on the puck. He is a very important player, too.
Those three guys coming in make for a bit of a recalibration for our group. It changes the rhythm. We didn’t find that until the second period against Washington the other day. That is kind of what we are looking for.
Also, for those guys who have missed time, they’ve had some practices and played some games. They’re going to get back to the level they’re capable of, too.
There haven’t been many penalties called in the last few Devils games. What do you attribute it to?
Keefe: I think it is the ebbs and flows of the season. Sometimes, guys get maybe a little fatigued, and the stick penalties can creep in. Sometimes, the standard is a little different on different nights.
I do think it is a little bit of the ebbs and flows of the season. There has not been a lot of stuff happening after the whistles, and the play on the ice has been pretty clean and seamless. We didn’t really earn power plays the other night until we really started rolling and getting the other team tired and in their own zone. That is how we have to earn more, and we want to stay out of the box the way that we have. That is the best way to have a good penalty kill: to not have to worry about it too much.
