Maple Leafs Full Media Availability| Pre Game vs Tampa Bay Lightning | December 8, 2025

like looking to revamp things but I think you know I know what my strengths are and I think it’s continuing to fine-tune those things always be a little bit better and just like anything uh we’ll have to evolve even the things that I’m good at to continue to be a good player and obviously continue to be really good uh without the puck you know everyone talks about 200 foot game and it’s it’s obviously really really important and in a lot of ways it leads to all the things you do uh with the puck so um you know I’ve had to work on my skating a lot throughout my uh my career and uh you know a few years ago here started working with Paul Mat that was you know a pretty significant change for me and just some of the things he was uh uh preaching and uh you know teaching and things to focus on and it’s translated really well along with a lot of the individual skill work I work with Patrick Sullivan so which you know both guys are on staff here so it’s nice to kind of work on all that in the offseason and continue those habits in season um you know along with all the feedback from the coaches here that I’ve had over the years so it’s uh yeah I’ve had a nice blend of things and just continue to work at it. Really enjoy the the process of of doing that. So, what stands out as late and uh yeah, obviously a great opportunity for him. Uh he’s been playing awesome. Obviously, tremendous game the other night, made some big saves at some key key times and and gave us a great chance to stay in it and to fight back and uh get it to extra time. So, obviously disappointing not to get him the result uh that he deserved, but uh um obviously we got a lot of confidence in him. What’s the take away from the way Scott’s playing right now, especially? Yeah, I mean, you know, Scott’s a really good player, so unfortunately he’s had a couple tough bad breaks and um you know, with with a couple of the injuries and coming off I thought he had a really good uh you know, summer and just came into camp really ready to go and showed that throughout camp and now seems to kind of be getting his feet under him. Uh getting in a rhythm and a flow and obviously was a heck of a goal the other night. We all had a good uh obviously great vibes with uh tying it up, but just how he how he put it home was was awesome and seeing his reaction. So good to see him uh playing well and obviously contributing offensively. How vocal is Dennis compared to a guy like Stolars, for example? Uh probably the complete opposite. So uh Beast just kind of does his thing. Uh he certainly uh opened up more and more with his time here, but uh yeah, a couple different uh couple different characters. Yeah, Austin mentioned that the Swedes on the team have made him feel at home. Yeah, I think that certainly helps uh you know having having that uh familiar familiarity guys kind of in the same boat, same situation. Um you know come from the same place obviously things they can relate to. So yeah, I think definitely help. I think we’re playing three big guys. We’re playing simple. Um can play against any line. uh take face off in the defensive zone and then once we get in the offensive zone, we like to go in the for check, be a little bit physical, uh hang on to pucks and then go to the net. So, uh pretty simple recipe, but uh I think we’re playing well well right now. Yeah, I think it’s important in every team to uh to bring it um whether it’s a a different line or different guy every game. Uh, but I think everybody’s got to chip in um physically and um I think we can bring more of that for sure. I know that injury kind of got in the way, but now we’re almost at the end of the calendar year. Do you feel like you fit in and found your spot? Yeah, I feel uh I feel good. Um I think I can help in different situation whether it’s PK uh important faceoffs, uh second unit on the power play. So uh no, I think I found my game. Uh I feel good. What stands out about the Dennis? No, he’s he’s been unreal. Every game he gives us a chance to win. Um unfortunately seems like we’re always one goal short. Um I wish we could get more goals from for him, but uh no, he’s been uh he’s been huge for us. Scott had a really bad injury coming back and scoring that breakaway clap. What have you made of the way he’s been playing in that particular? Yeah, he’s uh he’s hot right now. Uh obviously a big goal last game. U we got a point a point out of it. Uh but he’s been uh he’s been really hot for us and big guy uh bring brings energy uh to the room all the time and uh big part of the of the group for sure. just, you know, we play similar styles as far as, you know, moving the puck and try a good job moving his feet, too, which um helps my game out a lot, too. And um we’ve been supporting each other well, talking a lot. Um yeah, it’s been a natural fit for us for sure. And um been playing some big minutes and it’s been good. You know, we’ve been feeling good. Um you know, we got some sim similarities as far as college path and uh we got some he’s got some Madison ties as well. So, uh we connect on that as well. Yeah. You mentioned that you guys knew each other a little bit from the summer. Yeah. So, just kind of Is that the first time you guys met? Uh, yeah, I think so. I’m sure we’ve crossed paths here and there, but um, a lot of mutual friends through through schools and whatnot. So, um, yeah, it’s been a great fit and he’s been a huge ad for us. How much does it help your game at all just playing on the strong side versus the other side? you played the other side a lot over the course of the last three years when needed, but getting back to your strong side, does it do you think Honestly, I I’m super comfortable on both sides. Um, each side has its advantages. Um, I played enough on I think that’s more more than anything is guys that play their offside that struggle at it just don’t get enough reps at it. Um, you asked me three years ago, I probably would have said I didn’t like the right side, but now I’ve played a lot of it. So, um, I’m very comfortable and um, I’m happy to hop over there when when needed. So, um, which is important with how many left shots we have and just around the league in general, frankly. So, um, I’m happy that I can add that to my toolkit and playing the offside. What does what Troll is doing say about opportunities? A lot of people before he came here and is elevated, they just say, “Oh, he’s a 67, right?” But now he’s like making a big impact. What does that say about all you need is ice time and maybe you get I just think it goes back to like um opportunities. Um it’s important that we when you do get an opportunity, you you grasp it and take control of it, which he has so far this year. And um you know, getting put on waiverss is not a fun thing. And you know, it’s it’s easy to to pout and you know, be down about it, but he you know, he came here and right from the get- go, he was um talkative on the ice, talkative in the room. Uh just a really good veteran presence, frankly, and uh playing confident right off the get getgo, which is a testament to him. So it’s not an easy thing to do coming to a new team. So, um, like I said, I can’t speak highly enough about him. It’s been really good. What did you like about that first game in the third period? Things kind of went the way they did in second, but it didn’t kind of go beyond that. Pardon? So, what’s the question? The way you guys played in the second period, it didn’t snowball into anything worse. Like, you guys were able to kind of pick it back up in the third or Yeah. Um, play like you did. Yeah. Getting a point out of it was was uh was huge after having a tough second period. And um you know Scotty scores a big goal for us to get us to overtime and we had chances to win the game too and as did they Dennis played really well so um we move on to tonight three days away. He’ll be fine. He’ll be available tonight. Yeah. Calling tonight Croken tonight. Yes, he is. What led to the lineup change? Just uh more penalty killing for me. Um you know it’s a good PP over there. We know that. And um I just wanted a extra killer in tonight. And um that line, you know, a lot in Loren’s and Yarn Croc is uh it’s a good checking line for us too. We’ll need that. With power play struggling a bit, how seriously did you consider have you considered doing two balanced units? It obviously comes up for sure. Um I went back to this unit looking at some video and and going back to some numbers and stuff early on in the year. These guys were actually pretty good and they they created a lot of opportunities um didn’t go in the net and a lot of times doesn’t go in the net you make changes and um go from there. So that was my reasoning for that but what you brought up is a valid point and I’ve definitely thought about it. Is it just a matter of them getting confidence in Well confidence is a big thing and you know I think what happens is it’s not going well and you you stop just being direct. you stop shooting um you know and you’re not going to get anything out of it then. Uh we got to get back to just simplifying and shooting pucks and being good around the net. That’s how we did scored last year. You know those big guys around the net and getting pucks in there um was was our DNA in our power play last year. How do you think has kind of dealt with all the responsibility right away? He seems really good. I mean he’s got a really good head on his shoulders. He’s a very prepared guy. um you know, he seems like he’s the first guy at the rink every day and he’s preparing. So, I think he’s prepared. He’s done a real good job. His work ethic has really gone up this year in practice and um you know, he’s gotten some real good coaching from our goalie coach. Um so, he seems he seems really confident and good. Dakota Mermis also back in. Yes. What have you liked from his game? Yeah. Well, you know, I think Merms and Meyers, you know, you give them, they play three or four and time to make a little change, you know. Um, that’s basically it. I think they both have come in and done a good job for us. Um, but you just got to we don’t you got to just manage their extended play, you know, a little bit. So, Merms Merms is good. He’s done a good job. He he plays with some snarl out there. um you know he moves the puck simple movement with the puck and um you know he’s he has the ability to play on the right side as the left shot. What do you have with Robertson’s game? Well, it’s dropped off and I talked to Nikki this morning and you know, some of it’s you know, ice time obviously and he was playing in the top six and he was doing a good job and then things you you make changes and but I have all the confidence that he’ll get it back, you know. Um kind to me, he’s lost a little bit of his jump and his tenacity he plays with. Uh but at the same time that’s a little bit ice time and and um getting the opportunity too. No, no one likes to miss time to injury, but do you think the time off has helped Nick Wah a little bit? Like he seems to be a bit of a different player since he’s come Yeah, maybe. I don’t really have an answer for that question, but you know, sometimes a reset, whether it’s an injury or um just, you know, taking a little time, coach scratches you or whatever, um you tend to come back and you got a little more juice, a little more jump in your game at times. So, yeah, it could be. What have you made of Tampa’s game and how they’ve been able to kind of excel through some of the injuries that they’ve Yeah, it’s same thing. a lot of injuries, but uh well, their game, they got they got some elite players. We all know that. They got that core there still um with their goalie, too. But, uh they’re a very good rush team. Um you know that we all know they can make plays and they’re dynamic. Power play can be dynamic. So, uh we’re going to have to be disciplined, but we’re going to have to do a good job with our PK tonight. We’re going to have to do a good job against their skilled forwards tonight. and and Headman’s back, too. So, you know, it’s a challenge. Coach, you guys have the number one face off percentage in the league by a wide margin. You’re over 57%. You have two of the best in the league, but all four of your guys are over 50%. How much of a benefit is that as a coach to know that you’ve got that advantage? That’s a definitely a a benefit. You’re starting with a puck, you know, in uh all three zones, which is a good thing, right? Um now I think we can do more in the offensive zone with u our guys how good they are in draws. I think we can capitalize a little bit more than we have on uh those wins and create something out of it. But uh it’s definitely an advantage for sure and it’s a luxury to have four guys in a dot that are all pretty capable of doing the job.

Players and Coach address the media ahead of tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

00:00 John Tavares
02:40 Nicolas Roy
04:16 Jake McCabe
07:11 Craig Berube

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