Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Beating Keefe & PP Panic

Episode Date: October 11, 2024

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee break down the Leafs' 4-2 win over the Devils -  a solid debut from Dennis Hildeby, beating Sheldon Keefe, depth delivering with the core four staying quiet and persisting power play struggles. How should Craig Berube rejig the two PP units? Later, Hockey Night in Canada's Craig Simpson (33:14) shares his first impressions of a Craig-Berube-led Leafs team, why the core four has struggled to start, what's wrong with the power play and Timmins' opportunity to prove himself.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

closing out the week on the real kipper and born show we are live on sports at 590 the fans sports at 360 and sports net plus nick kiprios justin bourne sammy mckee derrick brandeo and jake the snake schultz with you for the next two hours leaf hour number one where the toronto maple leafs down the new jersey devils 4-2 to even their record at one and one in about 30 minutes we'll welcome in former national hockey leaguer two-time stanley cup champion craig simpson always a great guest because uh no one follows the leafs more than this guy no chris cutbert calling all the games we'll get his thoughts on what he's seen in the first

two games and what we might anticipate as sydney crosby and the pittsburgh penguins visit the toronto maple leaf saturday night at scotia bank arena and just to double up the treat on a friday colby armstrong at the top of the hour will be in studio for us both toronto and pittsburgh inside out of colby as always yeah so lots of fun ahead of us in the meantime the toronto maple leafs led by steve laurence or lorenz now it's whatever you want you can't flip a coin you cannot be wrong say whatever you want lorenz is how i'm going though little from columbia i don't think lee fans really care either way

because he keeps doing this they know what they uh they think that they're getting now out of this guy yeah i mean he's turning in into a media darling he's turning into a fan favorite every time you see him on camera his face lights up the whole set like you can't wipe the grin off his face he's got a cup in his back pocket and he's with his childhood dream team he's having a blast bobby mcmahon max patcher ready also involved in the scoring rounded out with a john tavaris goal but we'll exclude him because he he makes too much money yeah it's so true he doesn't fit in with them. Yeah, yeah, but anyway. He ruined it. Yeah.

Because the scoring's coming out of a combined salary of, what, $2.4 million out of these guys. Yeah. So I guess we can start kind of overview. What'd you think watching game two against the New Jersey Devils? There's probably parts of Wednesday night's game i liked a little better than what i saw out of jersey i think first and foremost like the the big story lines is the goaltending in the first two games that's i think the number one storyline i think that's

fair and then the second one would be the depth guys. Bottom six. The guys that were coming into round, you know, or smooth the edges off of the core. Yeah. Have done a fantastic job. And now people are saying, okay, when can we get that core going now? I'll add to that and say that this D-Core,

this D-Core is really good. Like there's a chance that this Leafs D-Core is legitimate, you know, better than maybe we've seen in the past. We've been doing the show for four years now, perhaps the best D-Core we've seen. Better. No question better. Yep.

But to your point, like like will it be good enough i think it's just way too early to tell but you know first two games they've given up one even strength goal last year they were a you know a disaster but not great um and i'll say i really like two pairs i really like riley and tana they work perfectly together just like kind of we thought they would work and i really like mccabe and eckman larson together i think mccabe uh they both skate they break the puck out mccabe's obviously physical i thought they've worked really well sammy your thoughts on the first two games? Yeah, I really enjoyed a lot of last night. Just, you know, I didn't think I was going to be,

this comes from a fan's perspective, clearly, I didn't exactly think that I was going to feel the way I did about Keefe going into the game. But for me as a fan, I really wanted that win. It's like surprise to your ex-girlfriend feeling. I really wanted the leafs to beat sheldon key from the devils and you know you're going into that game second half of a back-to-back where they have a tough loss the habs you've got your was it fourth string goalie third string

goalie yeah on the second game of the season your starters hurt and you know in the second half of back-to-back you really kind of have if you're the team that's gonna jump on them and i thought they played really hard in that first period got a three goal lead and they kind of have, if you're the team that's going to jump on them. And I thought they played really hard in that first period, got a three-goal lead, and it kind of buoyed them throughout the game. But I got to tell you, it was sweet to beat Keefe. And it was sweet to cut his stuff after the game where it's just like, I don't miss this. I know that's rude, but I don't miss it.

It is a leaf hour. We should go to Craig Bruby first on a Kipper's Clipper, but maybe we should start with Sheldon. Just to once again thank him for all those years, all those years of giving us so much content. Oh, yeah. We'll give him the respect of giving us a... The respect and the handshake line, if you will.

Our first clip. Oh, ironic. Yeah. Head coach of the New Jersey Devils. We'll listen to Sheldon Keefe's overview of the game. Can't spot any team in the league lead like that. I mean, I don't know that we deserved or that they deserved to be up three like the way that they were, but the reality is that they were.

So it's a hard hole to get out of for sure. But in some cases, Duggar Holm holder is just puck play not nearly good enough and defending not even close to hard enough to make that. So it paid for. Puck just kept going in that. That was an added. Oh, that's such a great Keith clip. You could feel the

AM, that was a goalie criticism. Felt like a leaf loss last year or the last few years. Not hard enough, not this, not that. Didn't get a save. They were very good. I have heard that clip a hundred times

in the four years we've been doing this show. I gotta tell you, if I'm Sheldon Keefe, and that's our home opener against a team that just stuffed me. Just thought we played soft. I'm pissed. Agree. I'm pissed. Boys, that is not the look or the effort or the attention to detail that could help me look good here.

I think the New Jersey Devils let them down last night. The players let their new head coach down against their former club. I wonder statistically if coming back from Europe has something to do with that. No, you know what? The players let their new head coach down against their former club. Yeah. I wonder statistically, like, if coming back from Europe has something to do with that. No, you know what? Yes, it did. And shame on us because we didn't acknowledge going into that game last night

that there is that thought that you're overseas, you're coming back, time change. Like, you're coming back, time change. Like you played – no, it's out there. Sammy, it's been out there for 25, 30 years. They got home on Monday night. No, no. There is some stats that teams have come home and like in the bed a little bit.

It's real. No, it's real. It's real. Oh, yeah, these professional athletes got a bunch of great sleep and had to play a game on a Thursday night. Oh, what a factor. No, no, no. Come on. Listen. They played like night. Oh, what a factor. No, no, no. Come on.

Listen. They played like crap. They did play like crap. But it has been probably for 30 years now a built-in excuse for teams that go overseas and spend time and then come back. Which is why they don't want to do it. Yeah. Stupid.

First of all. What happened to the Leafs when they came back last year? I can't remember. Did they go poo-poo after that? I can't remember. When the Leafs came back? Well, they were in November, though. Yeah, yeah.

Sweden, you're talking about. Were they bad once they came back? I can't remember. Well, Willie signed. It blends together. Yeah, Willie was a star. Willie signed and then he... I guess I could look that up.

I have a computer in front of me. Anyways, continue. You give them the benefit of the doubt, but a little bit, sure on that but i mean you know looking at the leafs fourth line last night lorenz camp and mcmahon that was a delightful line to watch was it not like big guys fast on the four check straight lines get the pucks to the net i think chances were five to one when they were out there they outscored them mcmahon shoots one in that's a really refreshing look down the leafs lineup so yeah you know they didn't get any offense out of their top guys but this is when you have depth

you don't have to be the ones every single night and i'll be i know they're one and one and they lost the montreal canadians i'm very encouraged by the early results from this team. Okay, let's go to Craig Berube on his bottom six. Oh, definitely. I mean, they were, I thought they were really good tonight. They just hounded on the forward check and playing hard down low and got rewarded with some, you know, greasy goals around the net, which, you know, we got to keep improving on that.

And, you know, we're getting there. Yeah, that's, you know, he's happy. He's happy with the bottom six. We saw the state-sponsored media clip, as you call it, Sam, the blueprint. Yeah, state-controlled media. State-controlled media where, you know, he said he loves Beast like thing, Ruby liked last night, which is good.

Things are going in the right direction. And just to go back, the Leafs lost two games coming out of the Sweden trip. They lost that 3-2 weird afternoon game to the Blackhawks. And then they lost to the Penguins, I believe. Yeah. So there you go. They lost to two non-playoff teams.

So how old's Steve Lorenz? 28. 28. So he's been around a little bit and I get the salary cap crunch and how you just have to pick players, but it's still baffling that this guy could not sign a contract this summer.

That the best that he could do is a PTO. I don't know that that's true. Well, I'm talking about 31 other teams, JB. But that's what I'm saying. I don't think it's true that he had no contract opportunities other places zippo buddy zippo nobody takes a pto because he wore a pair of pajamas when he was a kid over a guaranteed contract in the summer he made some comments to the effect of this wasn't the best contract or opportunity that was out there for him,

but he wanted to play for the Leafs. I think, Kip, in some cases, these guys' PTOs are contracts. They're like, you're going to sign here. Listen, if you probably would have watched him closely, and I don't know if anybody did, signing him to a $1.2 million contract for two years would have been a huge stretch for him.

By any other team? Like, again, you don't take a PTO, come to training camp, maybe get hurt and not sign anything over something out there that's guaranteed or that provides you more security. Maybe he had one-way offers for the same dollar amount that a PTO was going to get him. You don't think so? Nobody.

Nobody came. Okay. And even through training camp, do you understand, too, like he went through training camp and then signed a day or two before. Up until that point, any team could turn around and say, hey, I've been watching your training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs. You look good. Here's a two-year, $2 million contract.

Right. So what is your point? My point is that there's a lot of stupid teams out there. That's my point. I thought maybe your point was that he's going to play worse. No. And he is. No, I'm a huge fan.

Okay. And I said a week ago that guy's in the starting lineup. My point is, is like, what are you doing, guys? Of all the guys that get contracts for dollar amounts like this guy kills penalties for checks out there yeah okay that wouldn't look at him and say he's a serviceable player and i'm willing to give him 1.2 million times two right and i think for the toronto maple leafs if you're a fan're going, thank goodness there's some dumb teams out there. Teams fall in love with their own guys, right?

Like just someone who's been around that they know and they're like, he's good in the room. What did he play last night? 15, 16 minutes? Yeah, I don't know exactly. Penalty kill? Goal in an assist? Yeah, you're right.

He played 15-07. And a huge smile on his face. Now, the Leafs, after what they've witnessed in training camp, are not surprised at all. When they played him last night, that's what they expected. My point is, is like... That is strange. How does a guy like that go to a PTO and then play 15 minutes

and get a goal and assist in his second game? Goal, assist, multiple hits, a takeaway, took two hits, blocked two shots. Big fan. I mean, that backhand, it was like, am I 14 watching Matt Sundin here again? Like, what the hell was that? Where'd that come from? He even said he got all that one. Yeah, no, what a performance.

So, unlike the first game where Stolarz and Montemar go toe-to-toe, this one appeared to me over early between the Hill of the Beast and Markstrom, who stunk last night. Do you think that helped Hill of the Beast? Like they got out to a lead and he could maybe settle in a little bit more do pitchers like two nothing three nothing lead going into the third fourth and fifth inning feels better so i when i saw that bobby mcmahon goal i'm like that but for michelle didn't thought he had freddie anderson uh in the playoffs maybe hey gave him some elia samsonov flashbacks on that one.

Let's get Sheldon Keefe's thoughts on his goaltender, Markstrom, last night. Yeah, not a great first period for him. But, yeah, I would agree he's subtle. I mean, I didn't think he gave out very much after. He had the one sequence. I think he made a great save for us. And that kind of kept us in the game. But, you know, there was nobody here on the game tonight.

I don't want to do this anymore. Hey, what do you think the right way to handle a veteran pro like Markstrom is, like for Keefe? Like is it better to lean on him or is it better to just be like, he's fine, he's good, he's fine. You know, we all have off nights. Okay, but like. Because that's kind of lean. Lean on him or is it better to just be like he's fine he's good he was funny you know we all have off nights okay but like is that kind of lean lean on he um yeah kind of you know game three of the season right after a couple of wins yeah yeah seemed like a bit much whatever that's what

we used to do with the clips though i know i just i gotta tell you i the sound of his voice like i just i've listened to it so much and I I've actually really liked what I've heard from Berube through the first of training camp in the first couple games in his way that he does it with the media like it's clearly not as good for us but it's better yeah the way he handles it and the way he talks less and all of that but we did have him on Lorenz if we wanted to tie a ribbon on the lorenz conversation okay let's hear it clip five please from greg bruby i mean he's a second and third effort guy but he's smart knows how to play the game the right way defensively

has a real good stick you know and he's big and long gets in the way um you know that's really what his game is there you go you know i think the worst part about the brooby clips is that he exposes how not rocket science this board yeah 100 percent i guess the plan you know keith and dubas and guys like myself just twisting ourselves into pretzels to explain the game and it's like big long gets in the way it's in the way second effort it's not that hard it's really not it's really really not so can i read you guys a stat from uh luke box luke fox jukebox on twitter yes it's the first time ever that austin matthews mitch marner and william kneelander have all been

kept off the score sheet in the season's first two games yeah i mean three great players two straight games unlikely you know last year matthews led the nhl in posting crossbars and another he's three and opening two games yeah whether it's the first two games or middle of february or march leaf fans don't like that no they don't like it no have you think they've all looked really good? I didn't mind them in Montreal. I thought they were good in Montreal. I think last night, I think, well, another post for Matthews, I think. And outside of that, the sore spot is the power play, guys.

It's just. The spot is very sore. It is a acupuncture. It was butt ugly last night. And the last one was horrific in the third period. Good news for Mark Savard is you got time. And you'd rather start crappy and build towards it than come out of the gate. Yeah, you never want to start crappy, my friend. But but you can picture this the conversation when they're you know lighting

it up in the playoffs in the power play remember the first four games of the season when they couldn't make the pass it's just too slow slow exactly it's just slow no urgency they do have a a sense to get austin the puck For sure. A lot. For sure. And they got to just stop it. And we got Craig Simpson who, you know, pretty good power play guy in his day with the Edmonton Oilers. We'll get his thoughts on it in about 12 minutes. But, you know, I'll go back to Sammy.

Sammy made a good point. Me? Yeah. On purpose? Me? Do you remember it? No. God, no. Could they dump the puck in one time? No. Okay? Yeah. The other day. Me? Do you remember it? No. God, no.

Could they dump the puck in one time? No. Okay. Then I don't know. Split them up. Oh, yeah. I mean, I like that you're giving me credit for that point. I do.

Everyone in this market's been screaming about that for two years. I really appreciate the credit. But yeah, split them up. Please, split them up. Like, if you're going to have, if you're going to stick with this philosophy that we're running two power plays, which has been pretty consistent by Ruby in the first two games,

then split them up. Have two equals. Not a 1A and a 1B, but two equals. Boys, fight over it. Now, that's what you want to do in playoffs too? No, no, no, no. This is just now. This is the here and now.

Yeah. Who knows what the look or the team or the chemistry will be like in April. I'm not worried about April. I'm worried about going 0-4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Last night, the top guys played just over four minutes on the power play, the power play one unit, like 4-10, 4-20, and the second unit played 3-30 of power play time. It doesn't quite math out, but ballpark.

And then the game before before they were even closer so they are using the second unit who also looks gross yeah so do you want to hear brube talk about it of course he's got a clip uh on the power play clip four please derrick just uh our entries aren't very good for one um we're just you you know, both teams we played, the line's pretty stacked, right? And we're not putting pucks in and just going to work and getting them back. So that's one area.

And the other area for me is it's just we're not attacking and shooting enough. Like we're kind of passing it around, looking for a, we're looking to pass it in the net rather than, you know, just attacking and shooting, getting pucks there, recoveries and things like that. And, you know, there are some plays that are there. We're just not seeing them right now.

We're not quick enough making them. You know, we had a backdoor play to Riley. It's just if it's quicker, you know, it's a goal, right? There's plays there, but they're not seeing it clean right now. We've got to, you know, look at some video with them and then work on it. If Riley's quicker, that's what he said. No. If they see Riley quicker, you can make that play.

I know the exact play he's talking about, too. Tavares was slow on it. Missed him. And it goes out. So, you played power play in junior presumably once upon a time i mean right he had 61 talks in the all but he played in power play 62 i'll give you credit and did you did you screw that up i'm sorry i you know i didn't play in the nhl but the problem was not that i wasn't offensively talented enough it's for other reasons um and so i was on the power play my whole life and the most frustrating thing when

you're a power play guy is to hear your coach just be like we just got to bang into the net and bang rebounds in just not enough pucks to the net just like these guys are the world-class elite skilled guys some of the best athletes on earth on the Leafs power play. Surely there's more to it than there's going to be a team that bangs it to the net and bangs for rebounds. Right? I mean, it's not the worst idea. No, but it's the, we don't have skill in this team.

We're going to bang it to the net and bang for rebounds. We're going to crash the net. Yeah. I think there's just, yeah. Stack in the line. I agree. Chip it by. Go get it. They... Yeah. Stacking the line. I agree. Chip it by. Go get it.

They have over the years developed some habits. And I think one of them is to kind of rely on Austin a little bit more. I agree that that cripples them. And I think that used to kill Pittsburgh looking for Malkin hitting one time. It's like there's other options. And Mitch Marner's guilty as anybody to just sometimes force pucks. Yeah. And that's Savard's, Mark Savard's job now is to break it down and rebuild it.

Savard is a great finisher in tight. They can make little passes into him. Yeah. As last night he showed again with his goal, the guy can play in tight. Yeah. And he can. That was a great goal. Really good goal. It really good goal yeah i think you tweeted it was uh oshawa general's days but i'd also like to see ekman larson and i know we're gonna get there i don't blame riley entirely but i'd like to see

ekman larson do it he's had 50 point seasons he's a you know 10 15 goal seasons here and there 120 goal season could develop into that so sure. If they're going to split it up, boys, what do the two look like? Well, yeah. Matthews. Like who goes down? On the second? Probably Willie and JT.

Willie and JT on one power play and Austin and Mitch on the other power play. And then fill in the blanks. What makes your bench management way easier know you're just rolling out lots your pairs anyway for your lines yep you got enough guys patch ready can do it obviously robertson can shoot it in the net a bit they've got options to fill in now which is which is good patch ready's been all right boys yeah you mentioned robertson too have you ever seen a guy more inspired to show his former coach

that he was a good hockey player he hustles he was last night he was shot out of a cannon the first right shot out of a cannon still gets bounced around a little bit yeah and ultimately i don't know what the team's gonna look like by april or may if if they can insulate him there's a chance he could still be here at the end of the year but if if by chance they think that they need to be bigger in certain areas you know yeah there's a chance he might not be here you know my my problem with robertson is he's not a guy who plays with his teammates you know like he seems like he's on he gets theon is he's not a guy who plays with his teammates. He seems like he gets the puck and he's way ahead of the play and he's on his own and he takes a shot.

Or he gets the puck in the corner and he wants to take it to the net. There's not a lot of small area passes, slowing it down, coming up together. I don't know. He's still got some work to do to become a more complete offensive player. His first two games for ice time is 12-27 game one. He's 10-16 last night. They were on the penalty kill a lot last night,

so that's probably those two minutes. That's probably where they went, right? But, I mean, this is pretty similar output to what he was when Sheldon Keefe was the coach. Yeah, he's going to... It's tough for him, but he has to score a bit and it's not like he needs to score every two games that's a 40 goal season but you know if you don't score in three games now there goes your 30 goal season and we need him in the 20s at least it's going to

be interesting to watch patch ready here if he can truly find this role that he's developed in just two short games if he can be a guy that can contribute on maybe a lot of nights that look like last night where he's under 10 minutes was he really oh yeah and it's tricky guys it's really tricky that again you're coming out of training camp first couple of games you're jacked you're juiced you're finishing checks you're you're going but a guy like this over the course of his career this is brand new to him man yeah i mean the chances of him able to put a smile on his face come in in, play nine minutes a night, find a way to still put the puck in the net. Well, he played 13.

I mean, a lot of it had to do with, he's not a penalty killer. They had, what, he was sort of handed six times last night? Like, that was a big chance. Which, by the way, I also thought the officiating was pretty poor. I didn't agree with, it was the one interference one. Oh, my God, on Connor Timmons? I didn't mind it. What?

Oh, I'm telling you. Well, I mean, if you're going to call that, call the flying elbow in the neutral zone on Dylan. But there's one thing to be said on that interference. He didn't have a stick, okay? There's a different look

on interference when you don't have a stick. You can't claim you had other intent. Exactly. I think it was missed on the telecast last night. Mike Johnson, of course, does a terrific job on interference when you don't have a stick. You can't claim you had other intent. Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. And that's, I think it was missed on the telecast last night. Mike Johnson, of course, does a terrific job, a good friend of mine. But Connor Timmons running interference or a pick without a stick.

Right. Is truly interference. Yeah, because you're not going there for the purposes of making a play. Exactly. Exactly. All right. That's fine. I'll give you that. Then call the flying elbows.

Okay. I mean. There's like four in that game. For sure. The ref's looking right at it. For sure. Ref tops. Should we.

Poison. We got to mention Willie Nylander's penalty late in the game. Okay. And that's another one where like if an official does not call a guy slapshotting the puck like that as an unsportsman. Right. What's that? He didn't call these.

He didn't. That's what I'm saying. If he doesn't call that, then we're going to have, after every penalty, some guy's rocket pucks anywhere they want all over the ice. That's a bad look. That was an unsportsmanlike that should have been called, in my opinion.

Yeah. To me, that should have been two for holding two for embellishment like that's the perfect spot for where it was an infraction but like jack hughes you're one of the you're a world-class skater buddy you went down like you got hammered from behind he put his hand on your hip for one second he went down like a bag of feathers it was brutal it was a brutal he was flopping all over the ice the whole night what do you think of willie the first two games no good i thought he's been very perimeter he's had the puck a lot but it's all circling the zone uh he to me is just caught between

old sheldon and new craig berube like he is just like he doesn't know whether he should poop or wind his watch yeah i don't know if i have an eight million dollar contract i'm not too stressed no i don't think it's stress but i think he's just caught yeah he's just right in uh i can't blow the zone i'm i like to blow the zone but he's a lot of zone or make him a center actually he's he's been pretty good at it over the last few years. Like at the end of the day, if you're going to have one guy cheat, it would be him. There's almost nobody better at it.

And then just live with it. But he won't do it. Like he won't do anything remotely like he did with Sheldon because Berube's watching. They're going to neuter his unique cheating ability. He's got to find that area where I can please him and still be myself. I think that's part of the early season feeling out process. What do you... Might take a while.

Yeah. That line is not... And the one who may have to adjust may be Berube. That line, not for me, really. That line is not a playoff line. Well, no, it's like Willie and Tavares have been playing together now for, what, five years? Yeah. Do they have any, have they ever had any chemistry?

It's like, it's crazy. It's just because. They're fine. It's default. Because you have Matthews and Marner, it's just the next two best guys play together. But it just, it really don't seem like they hook up on a ton. Wasn't that like a year where it was Matthews and Marner? Sorry, Tavares and Nylander.

Yeah, but Tavares likes to shoot the puck. I know. So does Willie. Yeah. So where's the chemistry? Where's the... But they've played together for five years. You don't think you'd find a little?

No. Okay. All right. No. And listen, again, John's good in tight, and he likes to shoot the puck, but there's 175 more feet of ice that he he struggles with yeah i mean he's been fine for two games but i know there's parts of his game where

he turns the puck over and he's a little slow and it's tough i think it might be tough for willie yeah i think it was uh andrew brewer who made the point about tavara is that when you're when he's a guy who scores net front and he's the centerman he has to use the whole rink a winger like willie he's back to the top of the circles and he shoots from farther away he's using less rink, Tavares may have to play wing at some point to maintain his effectiveness as a scorer for the Leafs, but we've had that conversation. It's a totally different kettle of fish. Before we go, I would like to hear Hildeby.

Can we just get a quick one in? Okay. Hildeby, number one, is hilarious. Okay. Quickly, so let's do that. It was good. It was a lot of noise. I was just trying to get in my seat, honestly. After the game? It's a good feeling. Better than quiet.

What was the last one I missed? Better than quiet. Better than quiet. Because apparently everybody was just going nuts. I caught his interview after the game. How do you not like this guy? He just seems so sweet. He's got the right temperament for a a sweet guy Joseph Wall's a sweet guy

Lorenz is sweet as hell they're really like likable guys and you are cheering for them maybe that will offset a core that everyone finds unlikable yeah maybe okay we'll take a quick break

we return we got Craig Simpson joining us two time Stanley Cup champion we'll take a quick break. We return. We got Craig Simpson joining us. Two-time Stanley Cup champion. We'll get into the Leafs more. Their power play. How does it get going? That and more when we return to Real Kipper and Born. Hey, it's Ben Ennis. And I'm Brent Cunning. We got you covered on all things Leafs, Raptors, and

Blue Jays every weekday morning, 6 to 9. It's the Fan Morning Show. Sportsnet 590 The Fan and wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the program. Take two. McIntyre House, Justin Bourne. Sammy McKee. Craig Simpson there.

Nope, not yet. All right. Want to get his thoughts on Berube and the adjustments that players make. Let's welcome in Craig Simpson, two-time Stanley Cup champion, in-game analyst for Sportsnet Hockey Night in Canada. Always a pleasure to have him on our show again this season.

Simmer, thanks for doing this. We know you're a busy guy, but, you know, we always get great insight from you, particularly because you are the guy covering the Toronto Maple Leafs. And, you know, I wanted to talk to you about Craig Berube. And from a player's perspective, when a coach comes in, like, you know, we've all had multiple different coaches based on either getting traded or signing with a new team.

But when you're with the same team and you get a new coach, what has that been like for the majority of these players now going from Sheldon Keefe to Craig Berube? You know, as you guys both know, it's a big difference. And I think some people maybe say, well, you're a pro player going into your ninth year. Morgan Riley, what, his 12th year. You know how to play.

You know how the systems are. And it's kind of just preparing yourself for your game. But when you get a dramatic change like that and bringing in a guy that has a bit of a different voice and a little bit of a different attitude, I think the players all know coming in and expecting, oh, Berube likes a certain style, so we've got to change our style. There's a lot of things to process and all the while trying to get your game back to the level so that you have the confidence.

As you guys know, if you as an individual don't have your game back to the level so that you have the confidence as you guys know if if you as an individual don't have your confidence at the high level forget about impressing the coach you now all of a sudden early especially when there's zeros across the board on your stat line you know you start thinking about yourself and maybe doubting yourself so I do think there's an adjustment I'm not surprised that, you know, guys are going to have to understand what's expected out of them. That might be a little bit different than the way that they've been, you know, coming into each season the last three years under Sheldon,

kind of knowing exactly where they stand, how the coach feels about them. Now it's like having a new teacher, right? You've got to prove to the teacher that you're on top of your game and you understand what you have to do. And now it's a process of going out there and trying to execute it quickly. Simmer, great to have you on again. Thank you very much. Yeah.

Yeah. I did want to get your thoughts then. Do you think it's a coincidence that, sorry, Nylander, Marner, and Matthews all have zero points through two games, first game with a new coach. Like, you know, it's not like they didn't play well or whatever, but it's very unusual to see that out of those guys. Well, almost shocking, isn't it?

I mean, there's again where you look at the core guys that, you know, think of even last year, okay, Austin had a 40-goal season, you know, a bump down from his 60 the year before you know that he's going to be motivated he's going to come out firing well what does he do he get to hat trick in his first two games so you think of just how austin matthews would have felt after game two last year and now new coach new pressures new captain, and all of a sudden you're going, oh my gosh, I'm never sitting here with goose eggs across. The guy's human. There's

no question it has to challenge you a little bit and get you taken back. I do think it's a surprise. I'm not sure Justin, if it's a coincidence with Berube being there, but you have to figure that it factors in a little bit so

i mean the one good thing uh i i'm so happy from uh going into sydney crosby coming in here tomorrow on a saturday night first saturday night of the year uh that they were able to bounce back against new jersey i mean you know what it would be like now. Your show would be a little different, guys, if they were 0-2. And so I think the bounce back was great. And, you know, maybe if you're looking at what has failed this team in the big games and playoffs with the elimination games, it's their lack of depth and lack of any kind of production out of anybody other than those four guys.

So if nothing else, the game against, you know, their old coach and the New Jersey Devils maybe is a good sign that you can win a game like that, that quite frankly was a pretty important game, you know, getting shut out for the first time in what, three years in Montreal. I thought they played well in Montreal and could have won the game easily, but you know, could have won the game easily but you know could have doesn't get you a win so I think maybe that's the first sign of saying you know if you

can get that production from the bottom six and a push there and a game that you win on the road that early on is a really important one you know maybe that's progress and I think that's what they have to look at is if this team is going to be better, it's going to have to be better in those roles. And I think it showed a little bit there in game number two. You're listening to Craig Simpson, two-time Stanley Cup champion, color analyst for Sportsnet. So Simmer, that explains a new system, less east-west,

maybe more north south and then there's the power play where these guys have been together all of them for close to a decade here they should know each other on a power play with their eyes closed yet they looked in the first two games like complete strangers how do you explain that yeah i think it's it's the old saying, you know, there are times when it's paralysis by analysis. You know, you overanalyze your game a little bit and you start trying to shape it a certain way. You've got a new voice that you know from arts of art.

He understands. This is a power play that three years ago was best in the National Hockey League, two years ago second, last year seventh. So there didn't need a whole lot of tinkering going on. This is a unit and a group that knows how to play with each other, for each other, how to play off of each other. So I do think if I were in that role, it's that balance of not trying to overwhelm with all kinds of new ideas right off the bat.

I think you've got to get to know how the guys react, how they interact and shape your changes and tweaks around it. And, you know, last year to start, they were four for seven to start off the season. They had power play goals in 10 of the first 14. So, yeah, it's a little bit of a shocker. As you guys know, early in the season, you know, everything is magnified so much in the early going when you're either 0-4 or you get on a hot start. So I just think your analysis is just not really free-flowing. When a power play is clicking, the guys are reading

and playing off each other. The entries are clean. You know, the passes aren't telegraphed. There's nothing static. flowing when a power play is clicking the guys are reading and playing off each other the entries are clean you know the passes aren't telegraphed there's nothing static and i think there's been you know the the montreal game you only had the you had the four chances and early on it was the entry you know a sloppy entry now you're going back for it and guys like nothing more than getting the quick entry and now you start to read off each other in the offensive zone, and that just hasn't quite come together yet. And, you know, I do think that if anything else,

what I always loved about in the coaching of a power play is give the guys the information of what to expect from the penalty kill. Like, you analyze the penalty kill to present to the guys this is where their pressure is. On the entry, they like the pressure is on the entry they like the pressure here so you know what to expect i want them to have the freedom to to play off each other and interact and you know i thought in in pre-season uh they were pretty effective and i i thought they had a lot of good free-flowing not only puck movement but moving bodies too and it's

really hard when you get a threat. You know, you mentioned before Tavares really good in tight. So all of a sudden Tavares is in tight. Matthews is on the right flank. Well, two passes later, Matthews is in the middle. And then all of a sudden Matthews is on the left side. That kind of movement creates havoc for the penalty killers. And I just think, you know, it's only two games in, so no time to panic.

But I just think they haven't had that free-flow mentality. And if I'm Marc Savard, that's the first thing I'm addressing is, guys, go play. You know, go play. And Justin, I think you're talking about the, you know, putting pucks to the net, just throwing pucks in there. When they have had success in the past, though, they make three quick puck movements, and they've outmanned the penaltyucks in there. When they have had success in the past, though, they make three quick puck movements,

and they've outmanned the penalty killers in front. At times, you've got Tavares, Marner, and on the side, even Matthews at times. You've got a three-on-one down on that rebound, and bang, it's in the back of the net. So sometimes that simplicity is outman the penalty killers, take the advantage of having that extra guy, and get that puck to that

difficult area and i think that sometimes when you're not making those free flow play plays having that mentality and putting yourself with those chances in there is where you can all of a sudden get one and then now the burden is off your back right it makes such a big difference to sort of relieve that pressure so these are like the higher level things that make the difference between being a good team and bad we talked about the core and the systems and the power play these are big things at the fringes of this team there's still some battles that are going on one of them that has my eye is for 6d particularly that right side connor timmons uh has played the first two games while timothy ligren has watched. Timmons has been able to produce offense anytime he's in the lineup.

He just can't stay in the lineup. What are your thoughts on how things are sort of shaping up this season? Elliott Friedman reporting that Timothy Lilligren is someone that they're actively shopping, really. Yeah. No, I think there's your first example of a new set of eyes. You know, I always felt that Timmons was a guy, you said it, he doesn't get a whole lot of chances, didn't get a whole lot of ice time.

And you look down two years ago and you go, God, the guy had 14 points in 25 games. Like you extrapolate that over 82, that's a heck of a season for a third D pairing. And I think what, in talking with Berube a little bit about him, I think you listen to his words and he says, I like the big body, he's a good skater, and he gets the puck and he transfers it up ice. And I think size does have a little play, and that is one thing for Lilligren that has hurt him in the past

and probably one of the reasons why in those big playoff games he's been in the press box and not on the ice. So, you know, I think the fresh set of eyes of a new coaching staff has hurt Timothy Lilligren and definitely helped Connor Timmons. And I think it's amazing to me some guys that just, you know, don't get the chance and don't get the opportunity to stay in there. Some of it for Timmons has been injury. He got injured at the worst possible time a couple of opportunities

where he probably would have been in the lineup. But I just think that Berube looks at a guy that says, hey, he makes good outlet passes. He doesn't overhandle it. He doesn't get himself trapped. And that simplicity, I think if you've watched Craig's teams, he likes that, and I think that's been one of the positives for Timmons here early on.

The depth certainly has come through with the play of Lorenz and McMahon scoring a goal last night. Where are you on Nick Robertson and his chances of holding down his spot all season? Nick has to learn how to play this game at the high speed that you have to be a regular, at the consistent level that you have to be a regular and to have the coach's trust. And he has to find a way as the smaller body. So what i noticed about him i think justin might have said it before he gets knocked off the puck far too often for me

and one thing you have to learn is use that size that low center of gravity but he's got to get his chest and his body up a little bit to me if you watch him he's always hunched over and going into the battle with his head too low and if i'm a defender that has the physical size and the height advantage i i've got a guy that i can knock off balance or knock him down and those are the little things you have to learn and have confidence in as a player to say when i go into the battle and i'm going up against the 6-5 defender i'm not going to win the physical battle so i have to be i have to win the mental battle. So I have to be, I have to win the mental battle. I have to go in and attack and be under control and have a good stick and pop

that puck out and get out the other side, you know? And I think that's where I think without question, he learned the work ethic part of it and he's a battler and he wants to be there. You can see the desire that he has to stay in the lineup here, but a lot of it has to do with your technique and learning how to be a little bit more efficient in those battles and i've watched an awful lot of them and you know i i looked at cole caulfield in montreal early on had a little bit of that as well a smaller guy that i thought was way too forward going into

the battle and too easy to knock off the puck or knock off balance and take the puck away from him. And he's learned to be under much more control and much more centered gravity. And now you go into those same battles and you come out instead of being on the ice and the puck's going the other way. You've slowed the play down. You've got some support. And those are the little things from a coach's perspective that go. You start winning more of those little battles, you're going to stay in the lineup. And, you know, when you do get your chance offensively,

Nick's got a shot that can beat a goaltender from good distance. So those are things that you can't teach. The other ones I think he's got to learn if he's going to stay in this lineup throughout that stretch. Simmer, always excellent stuff. When you join us. Thanks for coming on board. Looking forward to having you all season long.

Have a great call tomorrow night, Hockey Night in Canada, Pittsburgh and Toronto. All right, thanks, guys. Thanks for having me on. Thanks, Simmer. Appreciate it. That's Craig Simpson. Listen, they've been trying to move money and Lily Grin since the summer. They've got a problem coming up here, guys.

They've got to move somebody somebody this is a must somebody's gotta go okay yarn crux coming back connor doers out there hockinpah when are we gonna see him that's money coming in somebody has to go it's lilligren that no one is taking three million dollars off the leafs hands for lilligren he's a good player you know he's just but it's not happening today yeah and it probably i agree and it's not happening it's hard everybody thinks that they've got their guys right now that they've still got to look at hurt no one like no one is desperate right now to add a $3 million defenseman. Yeah. And he is a serviceable player.

He's an NHLD. They only had two choices, sign him or lose him for nothing. And don't sign him and let him walk. And clearly they signed him, but they're paying a price for it right now because something's got to give. Yarn Croc's coming back. That's $2 million right there, and there's a few more other guys. But they've got a little time on that, right?

Because Yarn Croc was… Ten games. A little time. Ten games. That'll sneak up on you. Speaking of sneaking up on you… Often people get hurt and solve your problems for you. Speaking of sneaking up on you, we're going to take texts later in the show

after we talk to Colby in the studio. We're going to take some texts. But somebody texted me and said, can we get a little love for Matthew Nyes last night and that absolute running back, lower of the shoulder on Dougie Hamilton. Oh my God. Oh my God. Remember John Riggins for the Washington Redskins. I was in

Washington when they won the Super Bowl. Really? And that guy was that guy was that guy. But that was violent last night. Dougie Hamilton did not see that coming. He's 23. He's going to be a truck for years.

Got me off my seat. Went on the second line by the way. Yep, me too. Alright, on that note, not so much of a truck. Maybe like Colby? Yes, not so much of a truck. Maybe like, I don't know. Colby? Yes, Colby.

Not a truck. Thought at times he was a truck. He's probably just like an SUV. Ask Marian Hossa about that. I don't know if you agree with him. A minivan. Colby Armstrong when we return in studio.