TORONTO — Since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer, Philippe Myers has played a grand total of 12 minutes and 11 seconds for the team — and that was way back before Halloween.
No wonder the club’s regular healthy scratch couldn’t stop smiling Monday morning, knowing he’ll get a rare look in the Maple Leafs’ top four with Jake McCabe unavailable.
“You don’t want to see anybody get hurt,” Myers said. “This obviously means a lot to me, and I’ve been patient and trying to be a good teammate and hyping up with boys. They’ve been playing really well, and it’s been fun to watch. But I’m excited to get in here.”
Myers has been sitting so long, the club recently loaned the 27-year-old right shot to the AHL Marlies for a conditioning stint, a reminder of what game pace feels like.
“It’s not easy. But I’ve kinda been around. I’ve experienced it a little bit over the years,” reminded Myers, who also did the NHL-AHL shuffle in Philadelphia, Nashville, and Tampa Bay.
“I think I have a good mindset for it this year. And I’m obviously grateful to be here, and I’m grateful to be around the guys, and I’m just super fired up to play.”
With the Leafs’ blue line locking things down better than anyone in the East (conference-best 2.61 goal against per game), it took a slapshot to the side of McCabe’s head to give Myers a second look.
Coach Craig Berube says McCabe’s absence for Monday’s tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks is precautionary: “I think he’ll be fine.”
Because McCabe and Chris Tanev have combined to form one of the league’s best shutdown pairs, Berube is juggling his top four.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a lefty with a long stick, will join righty Tanev and be tasked with nullifying Connor Bedard’s top line.
Myers will get a great opportunity alongside Morgan Rielly.
“He’s one of the best defencemen in the league, for sure,” Myers said. “He’s got a lot of skill. I’m gonna try and give him the puck and play defence.”
Berube wants the six-foot-six, 213-pound Myers to keep things simple.
“He’s a big guy. Can move well. Be physical. Defend well,” Berube said. “Morgan can move the puck. Just play your game. That’s his game. It’s simple. You don’t have to complicate it. You’ve got a good shot. Let’s use it tonight. You know, we get opportunities in the offensive zone, you should be ripping it.”
In other injury news, forwards Max Domi and Max Pacioretty both skated for the first time since stepping aside with lower-body injuries.
Domi is “close” to returning, per Berube. Pacioretty is not.
Depth defenceman Jani Hakanpää was retroactively placed on injured reserve. He hasn’t played since Nov. 16 and is still managing a bad knee.
Maple Leafs projected lineup Monday vs. Chicago Blackhawks:
Knies – Matthews – W. Nylander
Holmberg – Tavares – Marner
Robertson – Minten – Lorentz
Grebenikin – Dewar – A. Nylander
Rielly – Myers
Ekman-Larsson – Tanev
Benoit – Timmin
Stolarz starts
Woll
