Craig Berube on the Leafs playing with five defensemen vs. Montreal on Saturday: "Our forwards need to help our D... Not spending extended shifts in the defensive zone and tiring the D out will be a big part of the game"

Head coach Craig Berube confirmed Oliver Ekman-Larsson will not play against the Canadiens, remaining day-to-day. He discussed the challenges of playing with five defensemen and emphasized the importance of forwards helping defensively. Jake McCabe might return before the season ends, but the statuses of Max Pacioretty and Jani Hakanpaa for the playoffs are still uncertain. Berube also noted the team's physical play, underscoring that it involves more than just fighting and mentioning the need for effective defensive strategy to support the limited defensive lineup.

"It's always challenging playing with five defensemen, but we've managed this before after losing a defenseman early on. We need our forwards to support them effectively."

"Berube mentioned the importance of minimizing extended shifts in the defensive zone to avoid tiring out our defensemen in the upcoming game."

Read at Maple Leafs Hotstove