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It was significant that an incoming general manager thought a louder voice was needed on a team with a long-established leadership group.
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Winger Ryan Reaves will definitely enliven the dressing room, as will vocal Max Domi. All were welcomed Wednesday by alternate captain Morgan Rielly, but the defenceman diplomatically disagreed with his new boss’s comments earlier this summer that the team vibe was too reserved.
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“That’s never been an issue in my eyes,” Rielly said. “I think we have a great group, a core that’s been together awhile (captain John Taveras, himself, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner). We’re comfortable around each other when things are going poorly or going well. There’s good communication between players and between players and coaches.
“But (Reaves) is going to bring some swagger and character into any room he walks into.”
Marner, whose loud chirps are often heard on ice and throughout the room, could have another newcomer, big Tyler Bertuzzi, on his left wing with Matthews. All three new faces have been present at team meals and other gatherings since arriving early for camp.
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“They kind of bring a lot of piss and vinegar,” Marner opined. “They’ve been very vocal, they all bring a lot of energy and different skills.
“Rivo will be out there to crash and bang and create a lot of havoc. Max and Bert can play up and down the lineup and make a lot of plays around the net. We’re excited to see them start doing it (this week).”
LEFT SIDE OPEN
Coach Sheldon Keefe believes Bertuzzi is just one of many candidates for the left side role with all-stars Matthews and Marner.
Matthew Knies is also in the Matthews-Marner practice group that will start workouts on Thursday at the Ford Performance Centre. Domi’s in the other pool with William Nylander, who’ll see time at centre and right wing. The latter bunch also has Calle Jarnkrok and Nick Robertson who might figure in the left wing battle, too.
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“You want to look at different things,” said Keefe, with Toronto’s first exhibition game coming Sunday in Ottawa. “It’s a long season and a long pre-season. Knies was injured last season (missing the end of playoffs after a promising start) and we have a lot of different options on the left, not just Bertuzzi and Domi, but Robertson is healthy again and Noah Gregor is coming.”
BENCH STRENGTH
Keefe has used the past few weeks to solidify his relationship with Treliving, who gave him a two-year extension, and meld with his two new assistants, Guy Boucher and Mike Van Ryn. Keefe said there is no change from his stated plan to let Boucher run the power play after Spencer Carbery took the head coaching job in Washington and Van Ryn to handle the defence in tandem with incumbent Dean Chynoweth, who continues to plot penalty killing. Manny Malhotra will be an ‘eye in the sky’ on game night, but still have faceoff and pre-scouting responsibilities at practice.
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“Obviously we were a little bit later in the off-season than you’d like to finalize the coaching staff, but it’s been tremendous working with Van Ryn and Boucher,” Keefe said. “The delegation of (new) roles is not just going to benefit me, but the players.”
NO BAB TALK
Marner and Tavares would not bite on questions regarding former Toronto coach Mike Babcock’s fall in Columbus. Marner, who was burned by Babcock years ago when told to rate Leaf teammates and then having his answers revealed to them, was asked specifically if Babcock ever asked to see personal pictures on his phone, which led to his resignation before he coached a game for the Blue Jackets.
“Whatever happened, happened. It’s back in the day. He’s not with our team anymore.” Marner said.
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In Edmonton, Babcock’s former Detroit GM Ken Holland said: “I’m disappointed for everybody, for Mike, for the organization. Obviously, Mike and I worked together for 10 years. His wife and my wife were good friends when we were together. When you leave, you kind of go your separate ways.”
LOOSE LEAFS
There were significant opening day developments at camp of two of Toronto’s division rivals. In Tampa Bay, captain Steven Stamkos popped off about lack of progress on a new deal. His current $68 million US, eight-year deals ends in July and the 33-year-old said he wanted something settled before hitting the ice this season. Bolts GM Julien BriseBois says he wants Stamkos to stay, but is unable to commit with cap space unclear at this point and he’ll gather “more information” as the year goes on … In Boston, one-time loose cannon Brad Marchand is the new Bruins captain, replacing Patrice Bergeron … Tavares turned 33 on Wednesday.
lhornby@postmedia.com
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