Injury Updates & Tank Talk ft. Keaton Verhoeff

Injury Updates & Tank Talk ft. Keaton Verhoeff

You’re watching Leaf’s Morning Tape with host Nick Alber and former NHL Jay Rose. The show starts now. All right, let’s do it. It’s time for the Tuesday edition of Lease Morning Take. Nick Alber, Jay Rosel, presented by Bet 365. You talk about a pound of flesh, Rosie. Montreal got its pound of flesh on on me. I am not feeling the best right now. Uh something you were dealing with what, a couple weeks ago? Yeah, mine came and went pretty uh quickly, but my my uh kids hockey team is decimated. Oh no. By illness. I don’t know if it’s self-inflicted like yours might be. Did you go out? It’s uh it’s possible. Yeah. some late nights, tons of drinks. But in that scenario, just calling kids up from like another team. How does that work? H we’ve got affiliates and stuff like that, but it’s so far they’ve been pretty good. We’re down a goalie, so our other goal or one goalie played back to back and just just ma mainly um practice. It’s turned into a country club. The one team won a tournament, the other team had a good weekend. Just country club week. We’re not going to be there for practice. They’re like the Maple Leafs, these kids. It’s rubbing off on them. Woo. You don’t say. I mean, is there urgency with this team? Are they looking to improve and get better and stronger and find a groove? Do they have an identity? Uh, they’re getting there. They’re taking strides. They’re getting better as the season goes by and and you you kind of know what to expect night to night on the positive. So, uh, different mentality than the Maple Leafs this year alto together. Yeah, it sounds like it. Our super chat charity partner is Sick Kids. Want to make sure your question or comment gets on the show, hit us up with a super chat. Proceeds from our super chat will go to Sick Kids ranked the number one research intensive children’s hospital in Canada and third in the world. Uh it’s still pretty amazing to me. It’s November 25th. We’re two days away from American Thanksgiving. And uh we’re talking about tanking. We’re talking about top draft picks. We have Katon Verhoff. We interviewed him yesterday. He was outstanding about 20 minutes. That’s coming up in about 25 minutes or so. But uh these are grim times in Leafs nation and I’ll be the first to admit I could have never forecasted this. Like I thought they were on the right track. I really like the offseason editions but this is coming off the rails very very quickly. Rosie. Oh yes she is. I uh I go through like the motion or the the different phases of grief I guess. Yeah. like and I don’t know what those are, but started off like just sad and kind of worried and keep yourself optimistic. Now I’m just pissed off. Like the effort level and the responses that they’ve had are just like like you never call out your team for effort, right? It’s the last thing that a guy’s do and they’ve been called out publicly multiple times by their coach for their effort. And I would say there is many times you could have done it on other nights as well. Like just uh yeah, and it’s starting to piss me off. No, no doubt. Like it’s and and what what what layer what what what adds to the layers of that is the people who are like see I told you like everyone knew that like like we wanted to be built more like the Panthers so that you get more in that like more of a playoff team more gritty more desire more character more and like they went the opposite direction like the opposite direction and we talked about Dakota Joshua yesterday. Machelli, Nick, these injuries, is it has there been one time where the injury’s not considerably longer than anyone thought? Like, is anyone battling to get back in there? Is anyone saying, “Hey, I’m not 100% but I’m I’ll say all the right things to the trainers to get me out there because the team needs me right now.” There’s seems to be zero of that going on. Like, I’m just sickened by the heart in this team. what an opportunity playing in that market with, you know, the players that they do have. They just they should be so much better than they are. And the teams, doesn’t matter what your team is on paper, if you don’t bring it, you don’t have the desire and the will, you’re not going anywhere. And this team has gone nowhere so far. Yeah, it’s struggle street. And uh all I could think about too with your assessment of um them trying to be the Florida Panthers, I just wonder if they’re guilty of that, trying to catch a moving train, if that makes sense, where all the focus is on how do we beat Florida and they didn’t adapt and evolve with the rest of the NHL. Because we’ve seen that so many times where it’s the big shiny toy and it’s like [ __ ] they’re good and I want to play just like them. And then by the time you catch up, you play their style, it’s on to the next one. and it’s on to a next, you know, you know, type of team that’s going to win and be successful in this league. And I start to wonder if the Leafs got too preoccupied with trying to be the Florida Panthers. Do you get that feel at all? No, I don’t. Because before the Panthers were even good, the one sentiment about this team is, “God, we’re kind of just full of a bunch of super talented, but fancy fancy, not gritty stars that win and get their points a certain way.” And you watched playoff loss after playoff loss before the Panthers were even a thing. And there was definitely a sentiment of this team’s not really gritty enough. They’re not really built for the playoffs. like, “Yeah, they just won 76, but is that going to be applicable in the playoffs?” And the answer is always no. And the first time, I mean, you got to sign Austin Matthews, you got to sign Willie Elander, you got to sign these guys, and they did. And then one time, one year, there is an opportunity, and yes, it happened to be during the heyday of the Florida Panthers, that we can move on from one of these huge contracts and open up space to try to plug the holes that we have in the playoffs. And that that’s just what happened this summer. And not like the NHL changed overnight and now it’s back to speedy, skilled stuff that’s going to win the cup. It’s always been you have to have that grit. You have to get through those tough series. You have to have the stamina, the determination to get through a game five and a six and a seven. You got to play heavy hockey. You got to get out of your comfort zone. You got to play hurt. You got to be willing to do things that the guys on the other side are not. And you’ll get through and you get to play another round and you get to play in the final and you get to win the cup. And nothing has changed in the NHL as far as I’m concerned about that. and the changes that they made and everyone’s on tree living cuz they have these hindsight in their favor. The guys they brought in haven’t done [ __ ] like the opposite of it. They’ve been like like what is Dakota Joshua worth like zero to me. He shouldn’t be in the lineup, but he is because he’s their shiny toy that they just signed. My god. And it just again like yesterday I said the cherry on top was just the disgustingness at the end of the embarrassment at the end of the game in Montreal where you’re like what are you doing and it’s the opposite of everything they need and it is why they are in the place that they’re in right now if you ask me um to a man but I mean Nick Wah might be able to provide something but he’s been injured and the only solace is they’re so injured that it’s like they’re decimated and everyone says everyone’s injured. I I don’t I can’t think of anyone that’s as injured as key players that need to help them get to where they’re going than the Florida Panthers or sorry the Toronto Maple Leafs from the goalending to the defense to the bottom six to the top six just decimated. And that’s the only only reason I’m not going to the tank mentality right now is because can these guys figure it out and dig deep enough to turn this ship around and and squeak into the playoffs if they get healthy? Yeah, I mean it’s got to be the next manup approach. You look around the league, you look at the Atlantic, I mean Tampa is really banged up right now. Florida’s missing their two best players. The Ottawa Senators lost their captain within the first two weeks of the season said, “You know what? We’re weathering this storm.” Travis Green has done a great job. And the thing that surpris They’re down their captain. We’re down their captain. We’re down Matthew Ny. We’re down Scott Lton the whole time. We’re down Chris Tanv. We’re down Anthony Stolars. We’re down Joseph Wall. are down [ __ ] everybody. Not one guy. They’re down one guy. They’re down Brady Tchuk. Yeah, he’s the engine of their team. Okay. So So Florida’s down Kulikov. They’re down Kachchuck. They’re down Barov. They’re down four or five guys and they’re still winning. They won LA. They killed Nashville last night. I can’t use I can’t use injuries as an excuse. I just can’t. And it’s it is next man up, but we don’t have the next man that the Florida Panthers do. Not even close. And the guys that we have that are supposed to be are timid little mice out there. They do. They They don’t show up. Those teams show up and get dirty and get gritty and say, “I’m going to I don’t I we won’t lose. We’re coming together and they’re looking at each other in the eyes going now we [ __ ] go.” And these guys look around [ __ ] do nothing. They’re timid little mice and they apply themselves to zero degree when they need to step up and give a herculean effort. And it’s zero. It is crickets. I think the cool thing too about like great teams is like regardless of who the guy is, where he comes from, Florida’s a prime example. I mean, they’re the benchmark right now in the league. Like a guy comes from the American Hockey League and he knows what he has to bring to the table. Like AJ Greer is a perfect example. I still recall last year, I think it was game one and two against the Leafs, he was a healthy scratch. He hasn’t been a scratch since. All right, since. Cuz he figured out his role. He knows how to play. And again, watching this Leafs team, it just looks like a bunch of guys out there. Like, it doesn’t look like, you know, the third line doesn’t have a profound identity. Get the puck behind the net, cycle it. That’s what Dakota Joshua’s good at. That’s what Nick W’s good at. I think you look at some of the upper echelon teams, like watch Colorado play on a nightly basis. Seems like every guy on that roster knows what they need to do to contribute to a victory. And and that’s the biggest thing for me. And maybe it’s a coaching thing, I don’t know. But nobody seems to know what their role is, what their purpose is, what their plan is out there. Yeah, that’s definitely how they’re playing. And I just I have been coached by Craig Bub. I know what his message is and it was quite similar to the one he brought to the table here when he got hired by the Maple Leafs. It is it’s not difficult. They’re not buying into it. They’re not doing it. They don’t They refuse. It’s too hard. You have to work. You have to get in there. You have to, you know, recognize a play that is a certain way that requires you to maintain possession, get the blue line, get the offensive zone, get in and take away time and space. And they’re just not really willing to do that. And if they are, it’s one guy all by himself doing it with no support. They are disconnected. As much as I’ve ever seen a team be disconnected, there’s nobody on the same page. And I just unless they have just quit on Craig Rubé and say, “F you. We’re not doing anything you say until you’re gone.” And I don’t really feel like I don’t I have no reason to believe that that’s what they’ve done aside from their play. Like they’re not they’re not throwing shade in the media. They’re not battling on the bench with him and rolling their eyes. I don’t see that. I don’t see why you would. He’s a He’s a good guy that is honest and straightforward and only asks for just simply your best and your commitment and he’s he it’s it’s it’s just very black and white. He’s not Babcock throwing shade, playing mind games, turning teammates against you, embarrassing you, calling you out. He’s not doing all that [ __ ] He doesn’t do that. He’s very simplistic in his approach. This is what I want. And for whatever reason, I think it’s character. these guys just I’m not doing that. I just that’s kind of too hard for that’s that’s uncomfortable for me. I’m not willing to do that. Uh and by the way, my leg’s kind of bugging me. I don’t think I’m going to play tomorrow. Like [ __ ] off. I I I don’t I don’t buy it. You bring in another coach to say what to to to to make some what magical system? Like Mike Johnson said yesterday on the show, it’s not like there’s crazy crazy systems that they just can’t buy into. It’s simple stuff. It’s just a commitment to all doing a certain thing together. It’s not like some coach is going to come in and reinvent the wheel. They’ve had multiple coaches with this group and it hasn’t led to good enough. This is the worst it’s been. I agree. And the only thing they can do because of no trade clauses and everything is fire the coach if it continues to go in this direction. But I’m just telling you with the the group that I see on the ice and what they bring to the table during a game, especially when you need a response and their back is against the wall, doesn’t matter who’s standing on the freaking bench behind you. They’re not willing to do anything that would lead to success this year. It’s gross. It really is. Uh a level of entitlement. It feels like uh commitment is the big word I grasp from what you just had to say. And you’re so right. There’s just not commitment from everybody in that lineup. Again, I thought it’s crazy that Dakota Mermis, who’s not even going to be on this team in like a week, is the one scrapping when you’re getting beat down by a rival team on a Saturday night. Like, it’s just it’s ugly stuff. But, as mentioned, we caught up with Katon Verhoff yesterday, projected lottery pick. Uh, you know, what were some of your takeaways from that interview, Rosie? Yeah, I like talking to these kids and you know they’ve all got the right media training and you know especially as a high pick with media these days you have been taught you know say the right things and this opportunity and team first and all and he’s he’s got all that but you go through the layers of that and you kind of try to get a sense of is this kid got his head on his shoulders? Does he get it? Is what what kind of cloth is he cut from? you can kind of get a sense of who raised him and you know just personality and character again and he seems to have a lot of it. Um, Matthew and I stood out to us right away when we interviewed him in college and I’m like, “God damn, that kid’s going to have a lot of success and and here we are with with where he’s at and he’s had a ton of success and I think he is as well, which is probably not um a big revelation for a kid who’s already been looked at thoroughly and is projected to be one of the top three picks in the National Hockey League draft. He’s got all the right stuff, but it’s uh it’s a good interview. He’s got a lot of good stuff. um personality, confidence, um leadership qualities. I’m sure he’s he’s going to he’s going to be a guy to watch for a long time. It was good to interview him. So, Katon Verhoff’s coming up in about 15 minutes at the Leafs Nation 41 on YouTube. Hit that like button, hit that subscribe button. Leaf Morning Take wherever you find your podcast. Make sure to leave us a fivestar review and don’t forget to visit the Leafsnation.com. This segment is brought to you by Table Fair and Social, your go-to pregame and postgame spot. Located right across the street from the arena and just steps from Union Station in the Metro Links bus terminal, Table Fair and Social has you covered with a wide selection of food, cold drinks, and great vibes. Whether you’re rolling with the crew, grabbing a bite with the family or meeting up for afterwork drinks, Table Fair and Social has a table ready for you, grab a pregame burger at Table Fair and Social right across from the arena. So, I was all giddy. I was all excited. And it’s been more difficult to get up for these Leafs games being a fan and watching this team in general. And I’m like, “Wow.” Like, it really feels like Matthews and Niko are going to return potentially here against Columbus. And then practice starts today. I believe they had a gala last night and these guys are in the gray jerseys, which means they’re not even taking line rushes. And it’s like, how how do you how do you go backwards? Like these like in in Ma Matthews has been skating for a week. You know, I understand with N’s lower body injury, it’s something that’s been ailing him for a while. I get that, you know, he’s been out less, but it’s it feels like these guys are going backwards. Like, if you remember on Matthews’s front, they’re like a week, he’s just going to miss a couple games. We’re looking at like two plus weeks now. Yeah. Like I said, there’s not a single guy who has been ahead of schedule or surprised us by coming into the lineup quicker than than maybe expected. And you know, we’re used to that in this market, saying, “Hey, take your time. The regular season means nothing. Make sure you’re healthy by playoffs.” I get that. But your season is going down the toilet and everything is on the table from tanking, which I can’t even believe that word is as widespread as it is in this market. And coaches are being threatened to fire, general managers are on the hot seat, everyone’s melting down. This team looks like a disaster right now and nobody is rushing to get back in the lineup. And I’m not saying you should. I don’t think it helps anyone by coming back too early and reagravating something or getting injured again and three weeks turns into five or six. I get that. Um but it’s just kind of par for the course that these guys are just taking exponentially longer than anyone thought or anticipated or was reported to start off with. and and here we go again, thinking we might have some of these super important pieces of the roster back, but no, no, they’re they’re just going to kind of go for a little morning wheel and that’ll be it for them and they’ll uh take some more days to heal, I guess. Yeah, I mean, to be fair, we haven’t heard from Craig Buby today, but usually, I mean, the media is all over it. When guys are wearing gray jerseys, especially the the day before the game, it’s unlikely. But I mean, as we talked about, you never know with injuries in Toronto. These guys could easily show up in Columbus wearing regular jerseys, and they’re the type of players where you just insert them when they’re ready to go. But it is mildly concerning. Like, uh, it’s so cliche. Every game’s big now, man. They’ve put themselves in a bit of a hole. Columbus owns this team. I hate playing Columbus, especially on Wednesdays. It happened a month ago. They clobbered them. It’s really been a house. It’s a horror. It’s been a team of horrors for the Leafs. And you would think guys want to be up for that game and try to write some wrongs. And if they go with the same lineup that we saw over the weekend, they are going to be in tough. I did see Matthew Olivier got banged up last night. He’s had a great year. Zach Rinsky got banged up last night. They got throttled. I hate playing teams when they get smoked, you know. Yeah, exactly. I hate playing teams that got smoked the game before. Like we talked about it. Montreal lost 84. They were horny out of the gates on Saturday, clearly. Um but yeah, they they need to find a way. I mean, there’s no sugar coating this things. They got five in a row now here on the road. Yeah, most teams uh come out with a a real response in a a level of intensity when when you get smoked or called out. And I can’t say I’ve seen it with this one. I is there is there six opportunities more, I’m sure, where you’re like, okay, they’re they are not going to stand for this. They are going to come out. They are gonna buy in. They’re going to be to a man so jacked up when that puck drops. they’re gonna overwhelm the other team and they’re just pussycats that just completely get throttled by the other team when they’re supposed to have this response and no one can figure out why. It uh it’s tough to watch, man. I have, you know, this is our fourth season doing this and I can’t think of I’m usually pretty excited like in the morning. Yeah. G game tonight. Game tonight. I like watching the games. I like tweeting during them. I like our group chat during them. Um all of it. And now I’m just like and like I said the other day I I flip the channel. I don’t really watch the other games when the Leafs are on. I I just stick to that game for the for the start to finish and flipping channels now just to like rather watch this. And I hope that changes and I’ve I am far past like trying to find positives like what are the positives of of this season? What what is some shining things? Joseph Wall has had two pretty good decent games even though he got hooked in one of them. Okay, that’s kind of a thing. Uh Nick Robertson has has had some flashes where he’s he’s working hard and getting rewarded for it. And that is it. JT like isn’t that Yeah, he’s sick. And I mean he’s Thank God for him or this would be I don’t know how it can get any worse. It’s just like it’s just so hard to find positives or to say this is why I believe and this is what’s going to get them in the right direction again compounded by injuries. Yes, I agree. Um but they have been healthy and they didn’t look very good and because of that they were jumbling their lines like crazy and nobody has had like you say what’s the third line’s identity. Well, who what’s the third line? I don’t know who’s on the third line. I can’t name three guys that I think are for sure on the third line. It’s been everybody on the roster aside from like three dudes. So, um, and that’s not to knock Brew, like nothing’s going right. You’ve got to try to find the chemistry. And they went through the beginning of the season with new guys, and you’re trying to figure out who they are, what they do, and where they fit. So, it kind of makes sense. It’s the only real bullet that that the the coach has is to, you know, mix lineups and try to find chemistry. But, like, there’s a reason they’ve jumbled them up so bad. They have no nothing’s clicking. So yeah, I don’t know what to expect, but my expectations obviously this morning are quite low and they should be. And uh we are going to tune in, but you’re right, it feels like more of a chore watching Leafs games. I used to get so excited. I’m like, [ __ ] is Matthews going to snipe tonight? How much are they going to win? It just doesn’t have that feel. They’re just like a dark cloud around this team right now. It really feels like the pre-Matthews era, man. Like that was a a difficult difficult time to be a Maple Leafs fan. And I think what hurts the most is you you get the sense the window has closed completely. Like it’s not even slightly open in terms of potentially winning a Stanley Cup where you were viewed as an upper echelon team, a team that had a shot every year and it’s now like crap. Are they going to scratch and claw to be on the bubble to make the playoffs? It’s it’s been really really ugly. We got our first super chat of the show today, Rosie. And our first Austin Matthews trade proposal. Uh Mike Rushton, thank you so much for the super chat. This reeks of culture problems, he says led by Captain Millie Vanilli himself. AM334 in exchange for Fantelli Olivier and a first and second McDavid in two years. I can tell you right now, Austin Matthews will not be waving to go to Columbus. With due respect to the organization, that great city, he is not going to wave to go to Columbus. Yeah, I don’t know where he’s going. Um, or did that guy mean does that does he mean come to Toronto when his time’s done in Edmonton? Is that Well, he said McDavid in two years. Yes. But it was more I think the basis of what he was saying was the the 34 trade request uh trade proposal. Fantelli Olivier a first and a second for Austin Matthews is his proposal. Yeah, interesting man. It would be I mean like for what the future looks for this team if something like that doesn’t happen. I I don’t I don’t see it like Matthews has been uh kind of soured on a lot of people. I think uh he just doesn’t you know even when he is scoring like that 69 goal pace and he’s just this prominent goal scorer you know the other sides of his game and again it’s not the X’s and O’s and that he doesn’t play any defense or any of that necessarily. It’s just like the drive and the heart and the desire and the intensity and like what you see out of teams that win the cup. Everyone’s like we got to see that. It’s been a decade. He doesn’t have that. It’s not part of his DM DNA. He’s a nice dude. Lots of guys like him, but I haven’t seen that this guy’s going to put this organization on his back and get them over a game six or seven. He’s never done it. And I I I don’t see it. And I unfortunately like if there was no such thing as a no trade clause, I would be like time to pull some trigger, man. Time to mix this thing up in a big way. But you can’t really and yeah, I don’t know where those players heads are at as far as willingness to leave that team. Um, it’s hard to play in that market. Maybe they like it, maybe they don’t. I don’t know. Like, it’s it’s a big big transition for a guy like that that’s firmly cemented in a city to make a big move like that. And it’s a huge huge risk to go to a player of his stature and say, “We’d like to move you. are you interested in in in waving your no trade clause? That can go south in a really big hurry for everybody. So, yeah, I’m all about shaking this core up. I really am at this point in time because we’ve gotten weaker in so many aspects. We got such good goalending last year that I think we maybe took it for granted and it’s tough to stay at that level. Our DOR looks like a shell of themselves and they’re not getting any younger like good god. Um it’s it’s tough, but I would be open for something like he just proposed if it was at all possible. Yep. At the very least, we did learn last year that management is not afraid to go to certain players and be like, “We we we are open to this.” I mean, the whole Mitch Mner thing, they went to him. I mean, he didn’t like it, but they went to him. So, that sort of gives you some hope. But, yeah, I’m right there with you. I think it’s time to have serious conversations about changing the look of the identity, the nucleus, whatever you want to call it, of this team. And it’s certainly soulsearching time in this market. Alex writes in, “Rosie, being a former player, is it not easier to find and have chemistry playing with the same line, not a shuffled deck every game?” How do you view that? Yeah, I do. I mean, obviously, you want to see something click off the bat and then say, “There it is. That’s the that’s the combination that we like.” And then you keep with it and you roll with it. But when you don’t get any semblance of chemistry off the bat, it’s pretty easy and you’re losing and it’s gross looking and it’s pretty easy to be like, “Let’s try this and let’s try that.” And now at this point in time, have they tried everything? Maybe it’s it’s hard with injuries, right? You’re shuffling guys around. You’re putting them in positions they don’t really belong. Um you can’t put guys in the press box because you don’t have anyone else to play. So you got to like maybe demote them and play them on a line that on a bottom six when they’re a top six player and that now you’re definitely not following the system and following you know the game plan. So it is tough but yeah I get what what what he’s saying like there is something to be said for can we get some consistency here so we can figure each other out. What is that combination? I don’t know. And obviously they don’t know because they haven’t shown anything good enough to say I like these guys together. Athletes Nation 401. Hit that like button. Hit that subscribe button. and Ben Austin, thank you so much for the super chat. Do you guys think a move is made if Leafs lose Wednesday? No. No, I don’t. Uh, it’s Thanksgiving on Thursday in the States, so they’ll probably go for dinner after the game, have some drinks, enjoy Thursday, enjoy football on Thursday. There’s no NHL hockey on Thursday, and they’re in Washington on Friday at 5 Eastern time. Don’t know. Yeah, it’s uh you know, Tree said, there’s not there’s not someone here that’s going to come in and save the day and and bail these guys out and come in and change the culture by Friday. Like, it’s not I’m not holding my breath. I don’t know what the future holds. It’s probably the biggest question mark for anybody. I don’t know if Tree Living has any idea what he’s going to do or where he’s at. Again, I think the one thing is you got to wait to see if these guys are healthy and try to chip away as many points as you can until that time, whenever the hell that even is, and then see if you can get this team to come together and play good hockey. And then after that, you know, at that point in time, we’re looking at Christmas. And after Christmas, in the new year, I think anything is possible. And it’ll depend on what these guys do. Um, are are they going to shut it down? Are they going to dig deep? Are they going to turn on their coach? Is the locker room going to be divided? Is it just going to be this disgusting mess that they’re headed towards? I don’t know. Um I hope not. It’s not fun being any part of this team, whether it’s just a fan or you cover them or whatever the situation is. It’s not fun. Um, and I know it’s not fun being on that team when you’re losing, but usually you see the understanding from the players that they’re not having fun and they’re pissed off and they will do anything to turn this around. And I just can’t believe how little of tidbits of that that we’ve seen with their play. Like effort, energy, none of it. It’s just like it’s so few and far between when guys out there just like it’s just like turn your brain off and just work your ass off. Just move as hard as you can and if anything gets in your way, you hit them and you charge the crease. And if anyone doesn’t like it, [ __ ] you. Pushing and shoving. None of it. It’s just not there. It’s It’s like they don’t care, which doesn’t make sense because I know professional hockey players care. They have a lot riding on it and that just leads to more of the frustration that’s just compounding within the organization right now. You won’t believe this. New lines at practice today. What what do they look like, dude? They they have no answers. Okay, let’s call a spade a spade there. There are zero answers remaining with this this team in this org. But uh Cow and Tvar’s kneelander Robertson doyroke that’s going to last about 6 minutes. I’m telling you right now that line like Yarn Cook is such a fascinating case. He’s like he can go from like the press box to the first line to the second line all in the span of about 8 minutes. Like it’s it’s crazy. Um Joshua Quillin Machelli. So Quillin looks like he’s going to be back in Lorren Lton McMahon and again uh Nah Matthews and gray jerseys. We haven’t heard from uh Craig Ruby yet following practice. We don’t have uh definitive confirmation but unlikely those guys are going to play tomorrow. Yeah. Okay. Well, more of the same. Just a jumbled mess of next up, but no one seems to want to be the next guy up. Um, whatever, man. I don’t again. Cool. Same same bodies mixed up in a different combination. See if they have anything. Again, their their record against Columbus on a weekday in Columbus, their road record, their response to a embarrassing loss, none of it is positive. So, uh, I don’t know what what what do you have left to say? Like, just give me something to talk about. Give me something to hitch my wagon to. Like, I’m willing, but you know, as as dig as you as far as you want to as far as you want to dig, you can’t find anything to give you some some hope at this point in time. It’s just it and is it rock bottom? I don’t I don’t know. I could see it going deeper the other way where they’re getting humiliated and absolutely ripped in the media and then all the questions and then the coach gets fired and more guys are hurt longer. I mean it could go it could go more south, believe it or not, but uh it is shocking how low they are right now with their play. They’re consistently terrible play. Producer Vic makes a great point in our group chat. Uh versatility is the name of the game when it comes to Cali Yarn Croak. He can play every position. Anyways, uh let’s get to the interview. Zack Phillips has been calling for Katon Verhof to be a Maple Leaf I think since game seven of the season. And we aim to please here at least morning takes. So what I did, I tracked this [ __ ] kid down. And I’m like, you’re going to come on the podcast. We’re going to talk some Leafs. We’re going to talk about you being an absolute stallion of an individual and maybe one day you’re a Maple Leaf. So without further ado, projected lottery pick. Here’s Katon Verhoff. Katon, uh, thank you so much for doing this. Obviously, one of those guys who made that transition from the dub to the NCAA. How are things going over there in North Dakota? Yeah, awesome. Uh, thanks for having me on today. Um, yeah, it’s unbelievable. Um, it’s kind of a it’s an amazing place here in North Dakota. Uh, Grand Forks is is quite this quite the little city. Um, we’re super supported here. So, it’s an amazing transition so far. Yeah, that program is is nothing short of unbelievable. That’s for sure. Take us through your your process. It’s a new thing. You you guys are kind of trailblazers going um you know from major junior to the NCAA and having guys that are as highly touted as yourself. Um having to make that decision and being able to make that decision. What was that all about making uh the jump from the dub to the NCAA and and how did you come to the conclusion to go to North Dakota? Yeah. Uh for sure it’s uh it’s an unbelievable opportunity that we’re uh presented with now. Um but it it is tough obviously. Um, coming from Victoria last year, uh, is an amazing place, amazing organization. Uh, nothing but love for them. But, uh, yeah, coming to North Dakota was kind of, uh, was a unique opportunity that was pre presented to me at the the end of the year last year. Um, with the rule being passed kind of whatever, halfway through around Christmas, I’d say last year, um, it was kind of in the back of everybody’s minds, um, a little bit, I’d say. But, um, I didn’t really start looking into it till after the season was um, after the season was over. just kind of focused on my playoffs, focused on stuff like that. Um, but then once season was over, I kind of started looking into it. Um, talked to North Dakota, uh, went on visits to North Dakota and Michigan. Um, both unbelievable programs, unbelievable staffs. Um, and then at the end of the day, it was kind of, uh, North Dakota felt like the place for me, uh, with the staff here and the the Ralph obviously with has amazing facility. Um, it’s quite the place we get to play here. Random question. Did you talk to Jonathan Taves? Uh, right away when we said Grand Forks, I thought of TA like right away. Yeah. No, I didn’t uh I didn’t get the chance to talk to Jonathan Taves. Um, I mean, we’ve had some there’s been some like not so much communication, but I think he’s talked to their coaches and stuff like that. The unique one that really got to me was uh I got Sanderson. I got a Sanderson text. So, that was pretty cool. Um, he kind of reached out to me right when I started talking to them. And then once I committed as well, he um he also he sent in another one uh congrats on the commitment. It’s an unbelievable place. So that was kind of a that was kind of the text I got a little star struck on. Obviously was a high pick in the last couple years and is doing unbelievable in the NHL right now. So that was a pretty cool one for sure. And just to stay on topic, like you’re one of the few people that have both perspectives of playing NCAA and playing um you know, major junior. And before that, no one was able to do that. you had to pick one or the other. What are some of the differences, positive and negative, um from the two leagues? Yeah. Well, like you said, it’s just completely different. Um there’s kind of different lifestyles in each obviously with um with me last year. Um I was obviously doing school, just still being in high school and finishing up high school and doing school and playing playing uh games as well. Um but then when you come here, it’s uh you’re also having that school part to add on to your hockey. Um, I mean, we have a great support group here that really, um, really supports like the players. Like, we have unbelievable help here. If we need help in a class, we’re we’re going to get it um, right, like pretty quickly. So, that’s really helpful. Um, but then like kind of another thing is just that schedule. Schedule is a big difference. Um, you’re obviously not playing for me and for us in Victoria last year, me and uh like me and Cole last year in Victoria, we were you’d be on the road playing in uh playing in Vancouver one night, the next night you’re back in uh the next morning you’re on the ferry and you’re back playing in Victoria the next day. So, kind of that u little bit different of a schedule, whereas here we’re um we’re more whatever those Friday Saturday games. Um having the opportunity to to hop on planes and fly out to places is pretty sweet as well. Um, and then it’s just I wouldn’t say there’s any po there’s obviously their positives and negatives. You take them as you as you kind of as you want, but um it’s just kind of what’s going to be right for a different player. I mean, for me, I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Um, it’s kind of something I’ I’ve been happy to play with this year. And it’s um uh obviously both leagues are unbelievable places to play and you’re going to develop either way. It’s just whether you want to put the work in there. So, Rosie played in the States and I had a couple buddies who played in the States. I’ve never actually been to a college hockey game. Can you just describe the atmosphere of playing in the NCAA, man? I heard it’s insane. Yeah. No, it’s it’s unbelievable. You got to get to one. Um they’re they’re they’re special. Like you go to different places whether like the student sections are always like buzzing. The student sections going. Um and then you have their fans too. Like I know here like we have one of the we have probably I I mean maybe it’s biased opinion here, but I’d say we have the best fan base in uh in the NC NCAA. Like our ring’s packed every night. We our ring holds like just over 11,000 and I think we just saw I just saw something at average attendance of like 11,17 or something like this something like that this year. So we’re playing in front of Pack Barnes every night. Like our student section is rowdy, lively. Um it’s unbelievable to kind of see. I don’t know. It would be tough to as a freshman I think it’d be tough to come into come into our building and and have have that first experience playing uh playing against our fans and us. But um I know when I when you go to other um places as well, it’s just a unique experience. You don’t really get anywhere else because you’re kind of um you’re all like your peers. You’re not really going to get this um this type of uh support. You get the fan bases and every other other organizations as well, but your play the people that are cheering for your peers like you’re sitting next to them in class. They have that little bit more of a relationship with you. Um it kind of builds that that fan base a little stronger. I mean, there’s there’s dieards that are at every single game, sitting in the front row every game. I mean, we have we have um eight or nine tents like sitting outside of our rink in the morning when we get there for morning skate just waiting to have their spots so they can rush down to get the front row this dude section. It’s It’s incredible. It is awesome. The last college game I ever played was at the Ralph. Actually, we got beat out of playoffs. I was at UMD in Duth and uh it’s an experience, no doubt about it. on on on the actual on ice part of things, what what did you notice different? Is there a difference in speed or transition? Are you noticing playing against older players and more more developed, stronger men or or are they pretty comparable? Yeah. Um obviously they’re they’re going to be a little stronger and faster. Um but I think that just that comes with a little bit of adapt like you adapt to that. Um for me the biggest difference honestly was just the maturity and like their play styles. um whether it’s the chipping pucks in deep, but the the most noticeable thing for me was just um like sticks um and defensive positioning like going back for a puck or something like that. I I make a make a move and go up the wall. Maybe that’s going to work before you go up the move, make a wall. Now you got to maybe add a slip play in there or something like that. just kind of um the technical still skills of uh defending like their stick positioning and body positioning as well is is pretty uh is something that I had to adapt to and kind of um feel the game out for the first couple games. Tell us about your game. What can we expect? I know you got some snow. I’m not shocked at all. You’re from Alberta. Yeah. Um yeah, no, it’s uh big uh two-way defenseman. Uh gonna I like like defending. Uh I take pride in my defensive zone. um hard on guys in in the D zone and then getting up the ice, I’m uh kind of able to transition the puck pretty quickly, I think. Uh and then using my size and my shot in the offensive zone to create me time and space and create some passing lanes and and be able to wire the puck. So, um it’s kind of that’s kind of my game and uh I I kind of pride myself in taking care of the Dzone and then obviously jumping up in the rush and trying to create is just an added bonus. Now, obviously you’re focused on on your season and your team and your game and everything, but do you ever do you ever find yourself peeking around the standings, the draft rankings, and thinking about this coming June and and what might change in your life at that point in time? Yeah. Um, obviously you don’t want to take too much look too much into it, but uh it’s obvious it’s always going to be in the back of my head. Um, it’s kind of something I’ve looked forward to for for my entire my entire life. Um, I’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time. So, it’s it’s pretty awesome to have this kind of this year finally come. Um, just trying to enjoy it. Uh, and kind of go enjoy all the process, go through all of it. But then obviously, yeah, looking into looking at everything else, like looking at peers as well, like playing with playing with lots of those guys that I mean the West Western Canada has a a strong strong class this year, I’d say. Like playing with lots of those guys at Helinka um Canada events and playing with all those Canadians is is pretty cool to watch them as well. I mean, I’ve had lots of fun. uh watching these guys um go in the Western and the OHL as well and and the Q as well. But um it’s going to be a fun time uh with the prospect game coming up being able to watch those guys as well. So it’s just fun to watch like peers and teammates go through the process as well and see their success. Keen, I won’t lie, our coworker Zack Phillips is one loss away for the Maple Leafs from buying one of your jerseys in a Maple Leaf uniform. Like we’re we’re that close here in Leafs Nation, but uh how do you stay grounded through all this? Like jokes aside, I know there’s a lot of pressure on you. It’s a big season for you in your life and even just talking to you, I’ve been blown away with just your composure in this interview. You’re bringing it, my man. But like, how do you stay grounded through all this? And are you aware of some of the hashtags out there? They’re pretty interesting. Yeah. Um, I think it kind of just comes with uh honestly North Dakota has helped me with that a lot. Um, we’re kind of traditionbased program here. Um, no one’s one of the big quotes is no one’s bigger than the program. So, just having my teammates beside me, um, and kind of to be in the trenches with them, putting the work in day in and day out has been super helpful. Um, and then also just my family as well. Um, they’re super they’re they’re super supportive. I mean, uh, they’re my they’re my biggest fans. So, having them kind of behind me has been super helpful to have them to talk to. And, uh, on those those hashtags, I think I’ve seen a couple of them, uh, couple of them fly through my text messages with my stepdad. Uh he’s got a couple of them on his I’m pretty sure his feed is pretty keen and bear off heavy right now. So uh he’s had a couple of those fly through his uh Twitter and X and whatever all that stuff. Hard to avoid I’m sure. U growing up as a Fort SAS kid, safe to say you were an Oilers fan and uh yes or no. And also who was your favorite player growing up? Who’ you idolize? Yeah. So, I I kind of transitioned to an Oilers fan in the later later um years of my life, probably when I was around 12 or 12 or 13. But before that, I played goalie till I was 11. So, I was a huge Carrie Price fan. Uh I loved watching Carrie Price play. I have picture I had pictures of of him up in my room um and all that stuff. Uh but then kind of when I switched watching the Oilers, um I was obviously right around the McDavid era. had a couple years without him there. And then just watching watching him play was was pretty special. I mean, in Edmonton, it’s been pretty exciting the past couple years having those having those stars in uh in Edmonton to kind of lead them through the the playoffs in those charge. I mean, Edmonton’s kind of had a different the city has had a different buzz around it for the past little bit. Um but then uh going around outside of the Oilers, I kind of think I like I loved watching like Heiskin um and all the and Headman and things like and those guys just uh and Thomas Harley as well recently. Um he’s kind of stepped up to be those bigger defenseman that can really move, defend, and also create offensive. Leafs fans uh love physical competitive players. Uh where does that competitive edge come for for you? Yeah. Um, I think being a younger sibling, honestly, uh, I have an older sister and everything was a competition. I’ve always kind of had that that fire, that compassion kind of in me. Um, I think growing up it was whether it was seeing who was faster up to get into get get into our rooms to go to bed or see who could, I don’t know, brush their teeth better. It was everything was a competition for us. Um, that kind of created it in me. And then just the want to to always win. I mean, I I love to win and um we we were even talking about something today honestly where we were talking about some Kobe thing where he said if you love to win or you hate to lose and I think and we think those things go hand in hand. Um both that both those things feed into that passion and fire to create um the competitive edge that that I have. I know I’m never going to think we’re out of a game uh here. We’re never going to think we’re out of a game. We always have we always got a little more to give and always a little more to push. So, I think having that uh mindset is important for my competitive edge and then obviously just wanting to win, wanting to be the best that we can be. Now, you know, speaking of the draft, obviously you’re highly touted and, you know, you don’t have any control over where you’re going to go, but do you ever think about, you know, what type of a market you want to go to? Do you want to go to a big market, a smaller market, somewhere warm, somewhere in the States, Canada? Have you thought of that? And do you have any preference at all? No. No, I don’t think so. Uh I think uh playing in the NHL is something something pretty special. So I think uh any place that that is going to take the take the chance on me and take the belief in me, I’ll be uh I’ll be super excited to go there and put the work in and have that uh opportunity to to show and prove to them that that I’m able to play at that level and not only play there, but also make a difference and and help a team eventually uh win a Stanley Cup. Effectively, we’re prepping you for your interviews with teams coming up. Like that was the perfect answer. you want to play anywhere like you’ll play on Pluto if you need to to play in the National League. But uh want to ask about the World Juniors and uh obviously th this country is starving for a gold medal and I’ll just put this out there. If Katon’s not on the team, we got some major major issues, but do you have like a favorite World Junior memory? Obviously it’s in Minnesota this season. What would that mean to you to wear the red and white? Yeah, I mean anytime you get a chance to wear uh wear the leaf on your chest is is something special. And obviously with what’s kind of what’s kind of happened the past two years at the World Juniors, um I think with Hockey Canada, they’ve taken lots of steps and they’re obviously they aren’t happy with the finishes the past two years. And I think any chance if I get the opportunity to to go and play for that team, I’ll be I’ll be super pumped. Um just the the opportunity to go and win a gold um prove to our country that and prove to the others that we’re also we’re still the we’re still Canada. We’re still what hockey is made of. We we are the hockey country. Um, I think that’ll be something that I’m looking forward to maybe maybe having the chance to do this year. Um, and then obviously with it being in Minnesota um is uh it’s a pretty special place. Obviously being close to to Grand Forks and and North Dakota here will be pretty unique opportunity and uh to be able to hopefully have an opportunity to go over to Minnesota and win in in US’s home turf will be another cool thing to kind of um put a little uh put a little end to their run here. You seem like a really grounded dude, man. And I know you played last year at the 17U, the 18U. How much do you think that experience will will will help you in the long run, not just in college hockey, you played against older players, you know, a lot of guys who have been drafted already. How much you think all that will help? Yeah. Uh, it’s going to be huge. Uh, I think I mean, one of my biggest kind of learning experiences for me was a couple years back now, but I went and played in uh the youth Olympics. We were in South Korea. Um, so that was it only happens what once every four years. just like just like your regular Olympics just for obviously the youth. Um but uh we went there uh had all this time. We went we were in Victoria actually um practicing had about a week there a little training camp uh took the long flight over to South Korea um played in the tournament played well through round robin and then when it came to the the important moments we just couldn’t finish. Um and that was kind of something that um I took and I I really learned from. Um, and then obviously going to U7s and be able to win that whole thing was was another super cool experience because I kind of learned the difference between what it takes to win there. Um, and what it does and what like you’re not going to be able to win with without everything’s going without everything going your way. Um, I know if everybody doesn’t buy in, you’re not going to really have that chance to win. think it’s um the difference between winning and losing is is pretty small, but um at the high level that at the level at um at Worlds um and in even in the NCAA as well, everybody’s so good. Everybody’s so skilled and and physical as well. It’s going to you’re going to have to have everybody find their role and everyone really buy into to what you want to do to inevitably win that championship. Let’s have some fun to wrap. I’ll play the role of Brad Tree Living. Why should I draft you, Katon? Um, I think it’s kind of just uh I think for me I’m someone that wants to win. Uh, obviously you want to win as well. Um, I’m going to be in the rink every day. I’m going to be there putting in the work to to make that happen. Um, I I also like I kind of I pride myself as well on my leadership ability. Um, being able to to help in a room and show show by example. Um, and also lead by a vocal voice as well. But I think for me, I’m I’m going to be in the rank. I’m going to be in the rank every day. Um for sunrise, sunset, putting in the work to make sure that at when season comes and when season when the important times come around, uh I’m going to be able to produce. Uh obviously, when the important times in the year are the most fun times of the year, and that’s kind of when you want to be playing your best hockey. So, making sure that I’m able to handle the pressure, which I I think I’ve shown in in my my short career here, my my young little career is um being able to handle the pressure and play in the big moments and and produce in the big moments as well. Drafted. You’re you’re a leader. You’re a leader. I love it, man. Like, great stuff today. I know it’s a busy time for you. I know you got a lot going. The World Junior’s just around the corner. The college season, it’s a it’s a busy time. So, we we can’t thank you enough. Really, really appreciate this and let’s keep in touch. Okay. Yeah, awesome. Thank you very much for the time today. What an absolute stud. There is Katon Verhoff making Zack Phillips one very happy man. But I I was very blown away with that interview. Very well spoken young man. Yeah, nice kid. Whoever ends up picking him up, I’m sure. Uh he will do great things for you can kind of tell. I like those interviews from kids before they get into the big league. And uh you can kind of make your predictions based on their personality. And uh I think he’s got a good one that one. an Alberta boy at the Leafs Nation 41. Hit that like button, hit that subscribe button. Uh should note as well, Austin Matthews led the stretch after practice today. I don’t know if that means anything. We’ll hear from Craig Ruby probably when we’re off the air, but obviously we’ll break it down tomorrow when they uh visit Columbus, right? Oh, it means he’s a leader, man. That’s what that means. Jumps in there and leads the stretch, baby. That’s uh big stuff. Big news. Big news in T dot, man. Good stuff. Happy, exciting, positive. It’s time now for the last call brought to you at Bet 365. Whatever your bet is, it’s never ordinary at Bet365. Download the app and get in the game. Use code nation. That’s nationnat. Must be 19 or older. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you are someone you know has a gambling problem, visit conix ontario.ca. There’s one game in the NHL tonight. Dallas Edmonton. I will take a Zack Heyman anytime goal. He hasn’t scored since making his season debut. has picked up a couple points, but I like him to score tonight against Dallas. Oo, I hope there’s some value on that. Uh, I’m going to take the over at even money and I have got a Leonitis dry anytime goal. All right, Rosie, that’s going to do it for another edition of Lease Morning Take. And tomorrow we preview the big game in Columbus. And I laugh because I have no clue which uh team’s going to show up, who’s going to show up, who’s going to play, who’s not. So, uh, we’ll find out tomorrow, I guess. I guess I hope they shove it up our rear end. That’s, uh, that would be a step in the right direction. Uh, prove everyone wrong. Maybe they can get that mentality going inside of that locker room. I’m not going to hold my breath. Yes. And, uh, we’re so bored here at Leafs Nation. We’re going to talk baseball tomorrow. Um, Max Sherzer is going to drop by the podcast. We’re going to catch up with him in about an hour. Talk about game seven. Talk about the World Series. Talk about being an absolute stud. You want to talk about killer instinct? Is there anybody better at that in pro sports right now than Max Sherzer at at his age? Um, so we’re going to catch up with Max Sherzer. I’m looking forward to this one, man. Maniac. I love it. Good. That’ll be a welcome distraction at this point in time. Go back to some uh some good sporting events even though it ended in quite a bit of heartache. It was a hell of a run for those guys. Be fun to pick his brain as he is a Hall of Fame legendary stud. No two ways about it. Craig Bubie as practice concludes today says to his team, “The glass is half full, not half empty.” Don’t forget that, Rosie, to get set for tomorrow’s edition. At least Morning Take. Okay. Don’t forget that. Yeah, the glass is half full, boys. We’re rocking and rolling. Lots of good things happening. Love it. Keep it going. Yes, sir. Yes. Uh, thank you to Katon Verhoff. One more time at the Leafs Nation 401. Hit that like button. Hit that subscribe button. Leafs warning. Take wherever you find your podcast. Make sure to leave us a fivestar review. Don’t forget as well to visit the leafsnation.com. Coming up tomorrow again, Max Sherzer, thank you to producer Vic for Jay Rosel. I’m Nick Albergo. We’ll talk on Wednesday. Take care everybody. Make sure to check out more of our content right here on the Leafs Nation YouTube page. We got long form interviews, we got clips, you got epic rants by Jay Roso. We simply have it all. And don’t forget, you can find out much more at the leafnation.com. Thanks so much for watching.

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill dig into a busy day at Leafs practice, where Craig Berube offered fresh updates on Toronto’s growing injury list. The guys break down what’s new, what’s concerning, and who might be back soon. Plus, projected lottery pick Keaton Verhoeff — standout defenceman from the University of North Dakota and a top name for next June’s NHL Draft — joins the show for a great chat.

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