"The rest helps. Before he was actually out, it was lingering for a while. This rest helps him, amongst other guys, for sure. Watching him out here, he looks like he is in a lot better place than he was - mentally, too, for sure. For everyone, mentally, they get a break. The season is a grind with the Olympics, the packed schedule,"
"Very good. I have been very happy with the last two days of practice, especially today. We're working on defensive things - the stuff we need to work on going forward. Coming out of the break, we have to tighten it up. I think we've implemented our stuff before the break, with what we were going to implement, when we had everybody here. It's nothing new right now. We're just trying to dial everything in, in all three zones, as best as we can."
The rest has helped Morgan Rielly recover mentally and physically from a lingering issue and provided broader mental relief for the roster. The team gains benefit from a break amid a grueling season that includes Olympic play, a packed schedule, travel, and numerous back-to-backs. Recent practices emphasized defensive work and correcting details across all three zones to tighten play after the break. No new schemes were introduced; the focus is on implementing and dialing in existing systems. William Villeneuve was recalled from the Marlies to provide numbers for practice while university players were unavailable. Players are expected to remain focused despite Olympic action.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
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