Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Pre Game @ Philadelphia Flyers | November 01, 2025

Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Pre Game @ Philadelphia Flyers | November 01, 2025

How how much of that is that at all? You know, a lot of new guys just trying to get adjusted to the early season chemistry and kind of moving around or or is it something else just because like you know the coaching style is not too much different than last year, right? So like Yeah, a little bit. A little bit for the new players and just chemistry, but it’s um I think we just got to simplify and get back to what what was working with us. I think last year we were a great great defending team. So, I think we’re just trying to get back to that and um like like everyone said, it’s a quick fix. So, you just got to work hard and um simplify the game and play above them and then we don’t have to worry about that kind of stuff. What have you liked about the I think we’re just uh I think we’re just too eager to play offense right now and I think everyone’s just getting below the goal line and and we’re getting beat up the ice and um you know I think we got to we got to play structured. Um you know have a good F3 always always always above and and not allowing those rushes. And I think that’s that’s the main focus that we’re going to have. When you say eager to play offense, is that just like going to the identity of the pass? Like because you guys have such skilled guys up front that is that the natural talent that wants to take over? Yeah, I mean just just not cheating for offense, right? Not not not not leaving the zone too early and not uh again not making better puck play, simple puck play, getting it in when um you know you don’t have a play on the blues, stuff like that. Like that’s that’s that’s where we can simplify and you know I don’t think we need to be so um eager to to play offense. I think we just got to simplify and I think that’s our our our skill um comes out when we’re you know um doing the right things. Want to pick up on something Matthew said he said you know sometimes talking about offers chances or maybe a commitment to defensive he said maybe we’re a little too eager to be offensive a little too eager to try to score goals. Do you see it that way? And maybe you guys have that ability to be offensive for sure with the attention maybe being more defensive. Do you see it kind of that way? I mean, when this team’s at its best, it’s when we’re playing defense first and then we get our chances. I mean, we we’ve done a great job of putting up goals. So, we just got to, you know, tighten up a bit things defensively and keep playing north and keep playing our game and we’ll find it eventually. Obviously, a little bit bit of adversity here early on in the year. Uh, you know, you never want to lose, but it happens. So, we got to move on and just keep looking at tonight’s game and keep trying to get better and keep trying to find our game. How have you felt about just the way you’re going about it given that sometimes you know things are going to run into tough stretches. How have you felt about the way you’re kind of going about it and responding? Yeah, obviously uh you want to win hockey games. So uh you know we lost the last one so we’re just looking to get back at it here tonight. We had a good practice yesterday, good morning skate today. So you just got to keep building on little things and yeah good defense here tonight and should lead to some odd fest. Is that maybe you know maybe you’re always learning I’m sure certainly at this point in your career like What is the biggest lesson that we’ve been learning about when things are grouped up? Maybe not as consistent as the group, but like what are you learning about what you need to have some result? Well, I mean, I’ve learned this a couple years ago, but you know, back to backs are tough or like when you can’t find your game, you know, you just got to get back to the simple things and that’s tripping pucks, tripping them out. So, just getting back to the simple game here and uh keep playing north and we should be good. talking to Matthew, he just kind of said, you know, sometimes we’re we’re eager for offense. And I wonder if that comes at a at a price, you know, defensively. Do you see it that way? Like kind of everybody’s kind of more focused one way or the other, or how do you strike that balance? Yeah, I mean, um I think there if you play good defense, uh offense will will follow after that. So, I kind of teams are too good and players are too good on other teams. If you only focus on offense and trying to make plays and score, they will they will score on you too. So, uh I think the key is to uh play uh better and harder defense and uh from there we create offense. Why have man has been a bit of an issue so far this year? Yeah, I mean it’s we just haven’t made solid plays on on blue lines uh and stuff like that. We just need to uh play a little bit harder, put the pucks in when there’s no plays to be made. And obviously when there’s plays, make them. But uh other than that, we need to uh play more solid and go deep with it sometimes. And um just have a good afternoon when our when our D go in for offense, too. In watching that Columbus game, in talking to some of your teammates and coaches, you know, there’s a lot of positives that they did like, but it was the mistakes were the ones that were just so costly. Does it feel from your standpoint that these mistakes are correctable? That’s an easier fix or is it a commitment thing or or more detailed? Yeah, it’s just, you know, decision. Don’t make dumb plays on blue lines and stay above your guy. I mean, I thought we were playing well in that game, but like you said, they just cost us too many times that they could all man rush and score. So, what’s uh Williams status for tonight? He’s out tonight. Just another one of those managing. He woke up today, didn’t feel great. Yeah. So, in that place, you put Robertson back into that spot maybe. Still figuring out. Yeah. What’s What’s the message for for the group after going for the full practice and doing a morning skate just kind of get things back to basics for in what way? Like I think from from Columbus. Well, we had that meeting yesterday and I think we went over some of the puck play that cost us the game in my opinion, you know. Um, we had some, you know, turnovers and and some situations where if we didn’t do that, it’s a different game, you know, but we let it get away from us from that. That’s the message for me is like just play to our structure and our identity for 60 minutes. like we get away from it and we then we’re good and then we get away from it and it’s costing us right now. Um so that’s the message. When he’s unavailable, where do you miss Willie the most? Well, he’s a I mean in a lot of areas obviously he um you know I think he’s a guy that um anytime he’s on the ice he’s a dangerous player for the other team obviously with his ability and what he’s capable of doing. Um he just provides, you know, puck play, you know, puck possession and threats. He’s a threat. He’s a threat out there every time he’s on the ice, whether he’s making a play or shooting it in the net. Power play, too. He’s, you know, he’s obviously one of our best power play guys last year in the team. And um we’re going to miss that there, too. So just in general, he’s um you know, I think just his presence, his leadership, all that stuff is missed when he’s not in the lineup. As far as your structure, getting back to how you want to play, how important will be to have Tan back tonight? Well, that helps a lot for sure. Um he plays a structured hockey game. Um you know, he does a lot of really good things for us, whether it’s, you know, going against top lines, another team, defending purposes, our net front PK. So it’s great to have him back. You know, Rick, I wonder what kind of challenges this team will give you. Yeah, they they’re playing a good structured game right now. You know, they’re not giving up much. Like, they’re tight defensively and you got to work for your chances. You’re going to have we’re going to have to shoot our way in for chances tonight. He’s he’s he’s got these guys playing the right way and they’re they’re packing it in around their net and protecting and you know, they’re dangerous. They got some good skill over there that’s dangerous. You know, they added Zegris and Mechov, Tippet, go down a line of guys. They got some good offensive threats out there that uh right now they’re getting timely goals from them and their goalies played their goalie played really well right now. I said a moment ago, you know, sometimes we find might be a little bit too eager for offense. Who said that? Matthew, you know, sometimes Yeah, I think that’s what I’m talking about with managing the game. I mean, yes, we want to score goals and we need to score goals, but at the same time, we can’t force things when it’s not there. And it’s just about being more patient and and um playing the right way. Like if it’s not there, it’s not there. So you live for another day and you you got to play smart because a careless turnover and you they’re gone the other way. Twoon ones, threeon ones, four on two, like it’s not it’s not a good picture. So it’s just about managing a game better. What did you make of Rebank when you had him? Well, I and I liked him a lot. Like I mean he um you know he’s got some he’s got some jam to him, you know. I love that. Like he’s got energy and emotion and he’s physical. He’s not afraid out there. Like he gets involved. Um I like his hands and his puck play down low in the offensive zone. He’s strong on pucks. He hangs on the pucks and he’s good in that area. Um I he’s going to be a good player. I mean he’s just got to learn the game. you know, he’s a young young Russian kid and they got to learn the whole game, but that’s where he’s effective for me. Scott, has he entered, you know, skated yesterday, skates again today? Has he entered the daytoday? Is he closer to being an option? He’s closer. Yeah, it’s just, you know, it could be next game. I don’t know. It might be. So, we’ll see. But he looks good and he feels good. So, he’s he’s really definitely in the going in the right direction and he’s very close. What would be some favorite memories for you playing with talking? Yeah. Well, I mean, a lot of them. I played with him twice here. We, you know, he was here. I came in as a rookie. He was already here for a year or two maybe. And then we played together for five years, I think, together. And we lived together. And so, it was just always we were we were really close. And then, um, I got traded back to the Flyers maybe 98 or 99 season. And he he came back too. So, we ended up playing again together for a year or two. Um, yeah, we we got a great relationship and um now it’s like kind of moved like you know, we play together and all that stuff, but now we’re coaching and we’re both coaching in the league, so we confide in each other daily almost about things and what we’re going through and what we’re the challenges are. And he’s um he’s a great sounding board for me. He’s obviously was a great player in my opinion. and um he he knows the game extremely well and so he’s always good for me. You may not share as much anymore because you’re in the same conference now versus when he was No, not really. I don’t think I mean everything’s pretty much out in the open nowadays with all the video and everything. There’s not much you’re going to hide, you know. And again, you know, you you you worry about your team and you got to focus on what you’re doing, you know, playing your game. Yes, there’s some adjustments to each team and what they’re trying to do, certain little things, but for the most part, you got to focus on your game. You did a full practice and then you did the full scale. Was that just taking advantage of the time following the day? Little bit of time, two days. Um, and just uh my opinion, we haven’t got a road win yet. So, how satisfied are you with your goalending this season? Same as our team. I think it’s been solid at times and and you know it can be better you know that’s they know that everybody knows that Steven didn’t practice yesterday he’s not an option tonight dayto

Players and Coach address the media ahead of tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

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