WASHINGTON, D.C. — A sure-fire way to get Rasmus Sandin and William Nylander to smile is to bring up the other’s name.
Standing in the Washington Capitals dressing room mere hours before a revenge match against the team that traded him away, Sandin will tell you he knows exactly how to get under the skin of Nylander, his dear friend, occasional roommate, and off-season training partner in Sweden.
Is that true? Can the emerging defenceman really throw the elite winger off his game?
“He tries to, but he can’t. I just let him be,” Nylander said, smiling. “We were competing this summer on the sheet and on the golf course. So, it’ll be another fun match.”
Who gets the better of the other on the ice and the links?
“Probably me. Always,” the ever-confident Nylander assured. “Not in the kitchen, though. He can have that one.”
Yes, as Nylander storms out to a five-game point streak (4-5–9) and Sandin still searches for his first point of the season with a Capitals group in flux, even Sandin has to curb the chirps and give it up for Willy’s contract-year stylings.
“I think he can be one of the best in this league,” Sandin said. “He’s proven in the first couple of games here what kind of player he is. I think he’s done that before. I think the numbers are boosting up a little bit here in the first couple games, but it’s a lot of fun to watch him.”
Fun is the word both friends use to describe Tuesday’s early-season faceoff at Capital One Arena, yet Nylander admitted it “was tough seeing him go,” thinking back to former GM Kyle Dubas dealing away Sandin to Washington mid-practice as the 2023 trade deadline approached.
Memorably, Nylander consoled his buddy as the news hit:
“I was there for four and a half years, and it’s a special place. I had a great time in Toronto. I really enjoyed being there. And my family loved being there, too,” Sandin said, before switching gears. “But at the same time, that chapter has ended now, and I’m here, and I’m super excited about it. The time here has been nothing but unbelievable, and I love it here.”
Why wouldn’t he?
The 23-year-old blue-liner was drafted by the Leafs in the first round of 2018 but never played more than 52 games in a single season for the blue and white.
Part of that was due to injury and pandemic-shortened seasons. But there were also stretches where Sandin was a healthy scratch, jockeying up and down from the minors, or had his minutes relegated by third-pair use.
Since the trade, Sandin can now look to his right and see All-Star John Carlson. He can’t complain about a lack of ice time.
“Obviously, I’m used a little bit more. I got a bigger opportunity to play more minutes and in a top-pairing role and stuff like that, and really feel like the coaching staff and the organization believes in me,” Sandin explained. “That gives you a little bit of confidence, too. But it’s also up to me, with how good I play, to stick in that role. I mean, I’m just excited to being here and excited about the future.”
In addition to picking the brain of the all-world Carlson and sharing a room with Alex Ovechkin, Rasmus’s older brother Linus’s favourite player, Sandin has also earned some early trust with new head coach Spencer Carbery, another ex-Leaf.
Carbery is deploying Sandin on the power play, sprinkling in some penalty kill, and leaning on him way more often against the competition’s top six at even-strength.
Sure, Sandin is minus-2 and without a point, but Carbery sees something beyond the stats.
“If you watched, the numbers don’t tell the story. He’s right there to really become a difference-maker offensively,” Carbery said.
“I probably got 12 different clips in four games where he is right in tight on the goaltender, and it’s just whether he got a shot through, or it’s a missed pass, or he missed the net. … If that gets clicking, his ceiling is very, very high.”
Woll welcomes Price comparison
Max Domi comparing the demeanour of Joseph Woll to that of 361-game-winner and Olympic gold medallist Carey Price went over well with the Maple Leafs goaltender.
“It’s pretty cool. I grew up loving Carey Price. He was my favourite goalie as a kid and someone I’ve modeled my game after, growing up, a lot. So, it’s a very nice compliment. I appreciate that,” Woll said.
“He’s so good technically. At the same time, he can play athletic, plays pretty free. But he’s also very stoic. And that’s my aim as a goalie — to be the same way as him.”
Samsonov in reset mode
It’s not pleasant for Ilya Samsonov to think back on Saturday’s nightmare start in Tampa, where he allowed three goals on four shots and got yanked midway through the first period.
A dishonour that didn’t surprise him at the time, considering his performance. He’s not making excuses.
“It’s hard to go to the bench after three shots, yeah? It’s not what I want to see. But I need to stay positive and keep working hard in practice. Sometimes we have (a) bad situation, yeah? But most important (is) how you’re learning about it,” said Samsonov, trying to simply his game in practice and regain his confidence.
“Most important — what’s in your head, in your brain.”
While Woll is pushing Samsonov for the starter’s gig, the two remain friends through this healthy competition, and the former Capital suggests he’ll give Woll a few tips on how to deal with Alex Ovechkin’s blast.
“I love him. He’s pretty nice guy. Funny guy, yeah? We try to support (each other) everywhere, on the ice, in the locker room,” Samsonov said.
“You have more motivation, yeah? We try to push each other all the time. This NHL league, every team has two goalies. It’s good for both of us.”
Keefe said Toronto’s internal goalie competition is healthy, the ideal being that both are performing at an elite level. Or, failing that, at least one is in top form at any given moment.
The coach has been watching Woll closely in practice and, like Domi, has been blown away by his even-keel approach and steady focus. It’s no fluke that Keefe has been quick to lean on the less experienced netminder here.
“It’s probably happened a lot quicker than (Woll) had thought, but we always believed in him,” Keefe said. “Especially with the disruptions with the injuries that he’s had, for him to be in the spot at this time may be a little bit quicker than we had anticipated. But obviously we’re thrilled for it. It makes us better.”
Ex-Leaf Dermott earns respect
Travis Dermott’s peers took note that he was willing to use Pride tape in an NHL game Saturday after the league issued a memo against such flair.
“It’s good. I think he’s been doing that for a while. If you look back at pictures, he’s always done that,” Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said of his former teammate, now with the Arizona Coyotes.
“I mean, whenever you’re asked not to do something and you do it anyway, it takes a little bit of courage. And I support him. I think it’s a good move by him.”
So, if the league were to sanction Dermott for his rainbow hockey tape, would that go over poorly with the players’ union?
“I would imagine so,” Rielly replied.
One-Timers: Alex Ovechkin is out here chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, yet after four games, he’s still hunting his first of the season. … Leafs prospect Fraser Minten, 19, will be scratched for a second consecutive night. “A good chance for him to step back and take a breath a little bit,” Keefe explained. “We’ll take a day at a time in terms of when he may make it back in, but for now it’s about really soaking up the experience and staying ready.” … The Capitals are one of two teams (St. Louis is the other) still searching for their first power-play goal. … Keefe has moved Tyler Bertuzzi over with John Tavares and William Nylander mainly because he wants to keep Domi with Matthew Knies and give Calle Järnkrok more run on the top line.
Maple Leafs projected lines Tuesday in Washington:
Järnkrok – Matthews – Marner
Bertuzzi – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – Kämpf – Domi
Gregor – Holmberg-Reaves
Rielly – Brodie
McCabe – Liljegren
Giordano – Klingberg
Woll starts
Samsonov
