TORONTO — As the Tampa Bay Lightning welcome back two critical components to their deadly power play, the Toronto Maple Leafs are countering with Calle Järnkrok.
Coach Craig Berube is inserting the responsible winger for Monday’s key divisional match because he’s an extra penalty killer and adds some defensive prowess on his fourth line.
But Järnkrok’s trip down from the press box means someone else must go up.
And that would be Nick Robertson, again.
Robertson enjoyed his best stretch of NHL action last month, producing nicely in the Maple Leafs’ top six. Then, he got dropped to the fourth line in favour of Easton Cowan and Max Domi.
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Now, he has joined Matias Maccelli in tumbling to the fifth.
What does Berube think of the winger’s play?
“Well, it’s dropped off. And I talked to Nicky this morning,” Berube said. “Some of it’s ice time, obviously. And he was playing in the top six, and he was doing a good job. And then you make changes.
“But I have all the confidence that he’ll get it back. You know, to me, he’s lost a little bit of his jump and his tenacity he plays with. But at the same time, that’s a little bit ice time and getting the opportunity.”
What comes first, the jump or the ice time?
In Robertson’s world, time is a flat circle.
Holmer’s revenge
Third-liner Pontus Holmberg was nudged into Scotiabank Arena’s centre ice to lead the Lightning’s stretch ahead of his revenge match in Toronto.
“I was ready to come back, actually, but something happened,” Holmberg said afterwards, smiling in the visitors’ room. “Right now, I’m happy to be here. It’s a new start for me.”
GM Brad Treliving opted not to qualify the defensively responsible 26-year-old as a restricted free agent, and the rival Bolts inked him to a two-year deal at $1.55 million per season.
The versatile Holmberg has found his niche to the left of veterans Yanni Gourde and Zemgus Girgensons.
“Wow, I love that kid,” coach Jon Cooper gushed. “The puck, he protects it like you can’t take it from him. And so, when you need to kill another team’s momentum, just put it on his stick, and he’ll do it all by himself. He’s a competitor. He’s big. He’s strong. And he’s a foundation of a really good line for us — that may not score every single night, but they can tilt the ice.”
The mild-mannered Swede’s English has improved, and Holmberg has quickly endeared himself to his new teammates.
“They had the rookie party,” Cooper said. “I always ask who the MVP is. He might have got some votes.
“I guess they had fun. He was really fun. He’s really fit in well with us, I’ll tell you that.”
Holmberg says he still stays in touch with some of his old Leafs mates and is enjoying the Florida weather.
“I relax a lot. Walking a little bit more,” he said. “It’s going to be fun to play against them.”
Maple Leafs make another power-play tweak
What’s old is new again for the Maple Leafs’ infuriating power play.
In the latest attempt to reverse the fortunes of the league’s 30th-best man-advantage (14.1 per cent), Berube has gone back to his original PP1 personnel from training camp.
Defenceman Morgan Rielly is back to quarterbacking after runs of Auston Matthews and Oliver Ekman-Larsson up top failed to yield results.
Matthew Knies goes back in for rookie Cowan, who had a shot at being the top unit’s facilitator from the flank.
“I went back to this unit. Looking at some video and going back to some numbers and stuff early in the year, these guys were actually pretty good, and they created a lot of opportunities,” Berube explained. “Didn’t go in the net. And a lot of times, if it doesn’t go in the net, you make changes and go from there. So, that was my reasoning for that.”
How about a more extreme tweak? Blowing the talent-loaded PP1 and creating two balanced units and having them compete for 5-on-4 ice time?
“What you brought up is a valid point, and I’ve definitely thought about it,” Berube conceded.
The coach is not there quite yet, even with the Leafs mustering two power-play goals in their past 11 games.
“Well, confidence is a big thing,” Berube said. “What happens is, it’s not going well, and you stop just being direct. You stop shooting, and you’re not going to get anything out of it then.
“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. Those big guys around the net and getting pucks in there was the DNA of our (24.8 per cent) power play last year.”
Lightning lose Vasilevskiy but get double boost of all-stars
Tampa’s all-world goaltender, Andrei Vasilevskiy, was moved to injured reserve and has been ruled out for both Monday in Toronto and Tuesday in Montreal.
Just the latest in a long list of injuries that have besieged the Atlantic Division.
Still, Cooper is hopeful that Vasilevskiy could be available later in the road trip, which ends Saturday on Long Island.
In the meantime, the crease belongs to backup Jonas Johansson.
“J.J.’s been lights out, too,” said Hedman, who only returned from his injury Saturday. “We have full belief in him.”
Shutdown defenceman Ryan McDonagh skated on his own and without equipment, so he still needs time to recover.
But up front, the Bolts welcome back top scorer Nikita Kucherov and top centre Brayden Point.
“That’s a bonus for us,” said Cooper, flashing a grin. Some much welcome health.
“Even through our Cup runs and all that, not since 2017 has this happened to us. And so, there’s a lot of money sitting in the stands. But it’s encouraging to see the young guys that have come in and filled the gaps for us.”
One-Timers: Lefty Dakota Mermis comes in for righty Philippe Myers on the Leafs’ third pairing. Berube says Mermis is comfortable playing his off side and he wants to manage both Myers and Mermis’s usage…. Chris Tanev continues to skate with the group. He’ll be evaluated again Wednesday…. Despite losing three straight, the Lightning lead the Atlantic Division and are four points up on Toronto…. Hedman: “We haven’t seen them without Mitch yet, so that’ll be interesting to see.”
Maple Leafs projected lineup Monday vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Knies – Matthews – Domi
Cowan – Tavares – Nylander
Joshua – Roy – McMann
Lorentz – Laughton – Järnkrok
Rielly – Ekman-Larsson
McCabe – Stecher
Benoit – Mermis
Hildeby starts
Akhtyamov
