Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Practice | November 04, 2025

Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Practice | November 04, 2025

What’s the message from from Craig and the staff? What what are they looking to see from you? You know, just uh making a little more more of a harder place and uh being more a little more stier on the for check and stuff like that and getting to the dirty areas and getting to the net. So going to be uh doing a little more of that and uh uh and then play my play my game other than that. Facing Utah, like what does this game mean to you? I mean, it’s exciting. Uh spend my whole career with with those guys. So, uh, it’s going to be fun, uh, playing against some of my old teammates and, uh, yeah, it’s exciting. I’m looking forward to it. Is there extra motivation to kind of show them what they’ve missed? Yeah, I mean, there’s always motivation for every game, but I mean, I feel like there’s since it’s first game playing against them, so there’s there’s maybe a little little extra for for this one. Who are you looking forward to facing off against? H uh old guys. I mean probably I gota say one guy maybe lost crabs the most since I I play with him most of my careers. So uh it’ll be fun. You know how to get the better of him? You think you know him pretty well? Yeah, I think I got him. You think you got him? Have you talked at all with him leading into the game? I know they played today. Uh no. I mean texting you here here and there, but nothing crazy. No. Tavarus gets his 500th goal to be honored this week. What have you learned about him this year? I mean, it’s just uh it’s like great to come to the rank every day and see what he does and trying to pick up things from him. Uh and and learn too. I mean, he’s uh future Hall of Famer. I mean, just a phenomenal player. 15 forwards in camp. What’s the competition for jobs like in that respect? Yeah, I mean, it’s tough. It’s the NHL, right? So, um, everybody wants to play, no wants to sit out. So, there’s a lot of competition here. You guys look like you might get SC back. What have you learned about him as a teammate in your early days here? Yeah, he’s a funny guy. It’s uh it’s fun to be around him uh often on the ice and um he works really really hard and uh uh he’s going to be a big big time player for us. What does the team have to take away learn from from how last night’s game went? Uh obviously just uh you know we just just have to be better and some of the the small details and um you know I know we’ve talked about it a lot but uh just little things within the game that kind of creep up over over shift to shift and kind of build um you know that tend to have you more on your heels and on your toes and dictating play and you know that’s just being a little better in battles. uh a little quicker all over the ice and that’s just not just with the puck but just puck support um and uh you know we’re we’re more together as a fiveman unit. So the game all of a sudden kind of starts to flow and uh you build momentum that way and you start to put things in your favor and wear the opponent down and you know spend more time on their half of the ice. So, um obviously uh we haven’t had that consistency we we would like and um you know every game uh means the same, but we’re still here in the early going. We just got to continue to stay with it and and recognize where we got to be better and and keep challenging each other to um to play better uh be more consistent and execute at a higher level. For the first time this season, the forward group appears to be full. the first time this season for appears to be what um Scott coming back. Yeah, I think it’s u massive uh the role he uh he plays for us. Thought he had a tremendous well first off season in training camp. Really really wanted to get things going uh positively and and come in and and be the player that he uh he believes and knows he is and and uh that we know he is as well. So, you know, you can sense more comfort in him coming into the year. Obviously unfortunate with the injury, but he’s worked real hard, done everything he can to uh, you know, stay sharp and get himself back up to speed here and and and help the group. So, obviously happy to have him back. I think just his competitiveness, uh, his hockey sense, not just with the puck and making plays, which obviously uh uh has a real strong ability to do so, but the way he can play defensively and he lays it all on the line. I I mean, you saw countless times last year and certainly in the playoffs blocking shots, uh the way he competes in faceoffs and loose pucks, a lot of those details that that goes a long way to um you know, help you have success. So, uh no doubt he’s going to he’s going to be a nice boost for us and brings a tremendous amount of energy uh and personality to our room and I think uh um that’ll be really positive for us as well. What do you think Ekan Larson can bring to your power play unit and what’s the key for your group to to get rolling here? Yeah, I mean, we only had the one look last night. Uh, I actually think we’ve been doing some good things. You know, our our puck speed’s been a little better. Uh, we’ve been generating more shots, more opportunities, and, you know, when uh when you’re not finishing those chances, it obviously can get uh you can confuse yourself a little bit. So, there’s no doubt we can still be a lot better and we haven’t uh produced the way that we want or consistently enough, but I think there’s actually been some good habits there and we just got to stay on it and eventually uh you know, that shooting percentage will turn around and things like that. So, just got to continue to do a lot of the things well, especially some of the underlying stuff that we look at and then obviously when we look at it on video and as a group. So, um stay with it and obviously uh you know, always got a great read for the game. Uh you know, handles the puck so so so well. Very deceptive and uh you know, that sifter of his is uh is as good as anyone’s in the league. His ability to deliver pucks through lanes and uh the timing of it all is really really good. So, uh try to maximize that. I know you would have preferred to obviously have the milestone milestone 500th goal come in a win, but now getting a chance to get back home, have your family, maybe uh you know the home fans be part of kind of the ceremony. What would that be like for you? Yeah, it’ll be special. Obviously hit a mark like that. Uh you never take it for granted even in even though it came in the fashion that it did. You know, you appreciate uh each and every goal that went in and and how difficult it can be and um you know, so many of them you just had to do the easy part and just push the puck over the line. So, um, you know, grateful for my teammates, all the support through my years here in Toronto and and obviously in New York as well. Um, you know, coaches, uh, staff, uh, family, everyone that, uh, you know, helps me on a daily basis through the through the journey I’ve been on in my career. So, uh, yeah, it’ll be nice to take a few moments and to share share with everyone and and, um, yeah, um, definitely don’t take it for granted and like I like I said, just want to keep it going. How modest is Morgan? like he refused to talk, you know, he moves up to second all time in franchise points and he did not want to talk about it at all, which I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you, but what stands out about how he’s gone about that? Yeah, I think I think the way he’s handled many situations and uh the impact he had on on on our locker room to just be extremely selfless and uh so team oriented and just a tremendous person and obviously a great hockey player. So, you know, speaks to uh his career and what he’s been able to do and certainly uh doing it here in Toronto. It’s really really impressive. So, really happy for him. That’s a a special feat uh uh to get to that mark and and to be uh you know that high up on the alltime list and um yeah, just a just a tremendous person and and we’re really grateful to have him. Take away or learn from last night’s game? Um, I think obviously the, uh, first two periods, um, there’s lots to learn and, uh, lots of areas to improve. Um, and I think if you look at the third, the way we played, I think there’s lots of good things to take away and, um, to build on. Uh, Craig said he feels like it’s kind of all mental. What was your sense of the start of the game, especially that second period, what was missing? Um, well, I think the game itself is all mental. Um, but I think when you look at the start of the game, I think it comes down to execution and, um, you know, everybody’s ready, everybody knows how we want to play, and when you don’t execute, um, it looks bad. And, uh, the other team gets opportunities and time and space and, um, and then you look at the third when you’re playing with pace and executing, um, you know, you’re able to come back. Big picture, what’s your feeling of where the team’s at? Maybe the process hasn’t been great at times, but you still won four or five. Like, how do you feel? Yeah, we’ve been um we’ve been inconsistent, I think. Um which is which is not what we want. Um you know, we want to clean that up. We want to be more consistent. We want to have um an identity that we play to every night. Um and we’re looking to build that. I think I think that, you know, there’s been times where we’ve been able to to find it. I thought we were pretty good in Philly. I thought we were good in the third last night. Uh but it’s about being more consistent and executing um um you know, more often. How have you felt individually about your own game early this year? Good. I mean, you know, it’s it’s it’s early. We’re all trying to build. We’re all trying to to get ourselves going and um um you know, we’re all looking to build. Why do you think the power play struggled to get on? Yeah, we’ve um you know, at times I thought we’ve executed well. The puck just hasn’t gone in. Um which is really all that matters. Uh so, you know, we’re looking to to build on some good things and get more opportunities at the net and you know, hopefully one will go in. What do you think Scott Lton can bring get back in? Yeah, obviously he plays an important role. Um, he’s been out for a while. I know he’s been eager to get back. So, he’ll be playing with lots of energy and um, you know, he’s a big boost to our group when he’s out there. What does it feel with Mermis today? I don’t know what Carlos status is for obviously the the big blocks last night. What was your sense playing with him? Mer practice today? Yeah, I mean uh Merms is a really good player. Um, I think we have good feel with each other and I I mean, generally speaking, as our decor, we have to be comfortable playing with all all different partners and I think we’ve been uh we’ve been pretty good at that. This one for me, you’re not probably going to love it, but second alltime franchise points passing cavly. Yeah, it’s just how you process that. It’s just something that happens over time if you stick around long enough. Uh, Tvaris, he got the 500th goal on the road. Like he’ll get it wasn’t the greatest circumstance, but he’ll get, you know, honored this week. like what’s it like to see that? Yeah, it’s incredible. I mean, you know, not many guys have done that. Um, he’s been an incredible player for a long time. Don’t get to 500 goals uh without a massive level of commitment um and drive and um he’s been a real role model for a lot of people about kind of solving that when a team is is battling. Well, you just keep battling and keep working at it. Show video, talk to players, talk to the team, work on it in practice, you know. Um, you know, it’s mental when you can do it half the time and then the other half you don’t do it. It’s just a mindset. You know, we need to we need to do it for 60 minutes. Can a third period like that where you see the Bucks go in, they come back like that, can it spark it and help with that mindset? Yeah, sure. I mean, it can for sure. It was a good comeback by our guys. There was no quit, which is great to see. And uh it was great to see, you know, the big guys take it and go get it done. Easier to digest this morning than it was last night. Yeah, for sure. With a win. I’ll never complain about a win too much. And uh Lawrence and L were one of the best players in the camp. What off? Yeah. Well, they bring this energy, right? They they play with energy and um they play a a straightforward, simple game. They do a lot of the dirty work for us out there and but the energy is good with those guys. They bring a lot of energy to our team which is which is good and important. Penalty kill and just whatever you know change the momentum of a game. You know when it’s not going right these guys can go change the momentum of a game. Looks like Austin spoke to the team after the game. What stood out about his kind of leadership in that moment last night? Well again he just like I said um I thought him and Willie went out in the third and just took control of the game. Um, you know, that’s great leadership on those two guys. Um, which is good to see, but uh, like I said, we need more of it. Things crop up over the course of you’re not going to be at your best 82 games, but is it at all frustrating for you that this is your second year here, it’s not a young team that you’re still having to work on situations where you talk about mindset and mentality, all that? Um, yeah. I guess frustration is a good word, but you know, my job is to I don’t care if it’s an old team, young team. It to me, I don’t really look at it that way. You know, my job is to try to get the best out of these guys and the best out of the team. Um, and um, you know, that’s what I continue to try to do daily. Um, again, we still aren’t where we need to be. We all know that. Um, but we’re working on it and just continue to work on it. You got 15 healthy forwards. What’s that like for tricky? Well, competition for competition, but yeah, uh, a lot of guys, but we got, you know, we got I think, you know, Lorenz and Lton could be good to go tomorrow. So, like I said, that’s great. And, you know, again, um, you know, it’s decisions that, uh, we have to make, um, night in and night out with the lineup. And um you know it’s never easy. Nobody wants to sit out. They all want to play all the time. But reality is that’s not going to happen. And but in saying that, everybody’s still important. They’re all still important and they got to understand that that there’s going to be games where certain guys maybe don’t play and there’s different reasons, but we still need everybody. Um that’s that’s the message for me. What’s been like through the his comeback process? Yeah, he’s great. Like I said, he’s uh he’s a great locker room guy and uh great character, you know, works extremely hard every day and uh you know, I think our locker room really misses him. I really do. I think he’s a real good glue guy. Why uh what kept Carlo and I guess just maintenance more than anything. Yeah. Yeah. You expect and Stoley too. Yeah. Yeah. Just maintenance for both of us. But I expect them both good to go tomorrow. What are you hoping Oel or E Larson can bring to that to that power play unit? It’s just a different look. I think, you know, he’s ran power plays in the past in different teams. Um we’re just trying to get something that works here, you know, like trying to get some stability and you know, we did it last year too for a bit trying to to get it to work and uh eventually we did and uh we’re going to keep banging away at it to get it to work. What are you looking for from Mitchell moving forward? Well, he’s done some good things obviously, but I think there’s just little things in his game that he can be better at that I discussed with him yesterday and uh I’ll just keep that between us. But there’s just some things that we want more out of him there. And he’s capable of giving more. I don’t go to people or players and say, “Well, I want you to do this, this, and this.” If you’re not capable of doing it, this guy’s capable of doing some more more than he’s doing. And um that’s the goal we’re trying to get to.

Matias Maccelli, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly and Head Coach Craig Berube address the media following Tuesday’s practice.

00:00 Matias Maccelli
02:19 John Tavares
07:39 Morgan Rielly
10:39 Craig Berube

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