"He is a stability guy, right? It is his first game back in a long time, so we have to manage his game and his minutes, but he is a guy who eats minutes, gets in the way, blocks shots, and all of that type of stuff. He has a good stick. He is a good defensive defenseman - good around his net, and a good penalty killer."
"You don't want to chase that number. He had it down pretty low there for a bit, and then he's had a tough run. We have all the confidence in him. Keep it simple. Play your game. Don't look at it as much as you can. Just do your job. My conversation is about not forcing things or trying to chase it. Just make the plays that are there in front of you, defend well, and do your thing offensively when you get the opportunities."
"When we put that line together, we were kind of all looking at it and wondering, "What is it?" But it has really worked out well so far. Nic Roy is really strong on the puck down low, and he gets a lot of pucks stalled. Nicky and Cowan are quick. They're doing a good job of moving in the offensive zone, creating some slot shots, and things like that. They are beating their guys off the walls and making these plays to the inside."
Brandon Carlo returns to the lineup and brings defensive stability, the ability to eat minutes, block shots, and contribute on the penalty kill. His minutes will be managed in his first game back while he provides a strong stick and reliable play around the net. Morgan Rielly has experienced a run of negative plus-minus results, and the message is to avoid chasing that number, keep play simple, defend well, and take offensive chances when they present themselves. The Robertson‑Roy‑Cowan line has exceeded expectations, with Roy strong on the puck and Robertson and Cowan providing speed, zone movement, slot chances, and effective breakout support.
Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]