For the first time since being dealt to San Jose last summer, Ryan Reaves is set to make his return to Toronto.
On top of that, Henry Thrun, who the Leafs got back in that 1-for-1 swap with the Sharks, will make his Leafs debut. He was paired with Simon Benoit at practice.
That’s where the conversation started on the Thursday edition of Leafs Morning Take. This should be a fun match-up, there’s a lot of storylines. Macklin Celebrini against Auston Matthews is another one, too. Could we see that in Milan in February? Only time will tell. Additionally, we also spent some time addressing William Nylander’s “demotion” to the third line. That’s right —he’ll start the game with Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua. We’ll see how long that lasts. Berube’s trying to get Nylander going.
Meantime, we liked Craig Berube going to bat for Bobby McMann on Wednesday. He didn’t like the one game suspension, and rightfully so. Also, we discussed the very latest on Joseph Woll, who took part in Thursday’s morning skate. He looks close to a potential return, which is great news. Is this the first time that one week will actually mean one week? We’ll see. Chris Tanev was out there once again in a non-contact jersey, but after practice, Berube didn’t have much of an update on his status. Load management would be the right play with Tanev, although Toronto’s spot in the standings is a precarious one. They need him as soon as possible —unfortunately.
So, this will be the first of two against the Sharks. Toronto’s 5-1-1 in its last seven outings —allowing just 10 goals in that span. They’re currently riding a five-game point streak (4-0-1). As for Thrun, we just want to see a simple game. If we don’t notice him out there, it’s probably a good thing. Additionally, Nick Robertson will draw back in for the suspended McMann. It would be hilarious if Scratch & Score Robertson does it again.
After that, we got to our interview with Ryan Reaves. As per usual, he was great. We talked about his return to Toronto, the difference in media coverage in San Jose, and what else he’s still looking to accomplish in his career. Reaves also dished on the Leafs’ tough start and how he will remember his time with the Maple Leafs. Hell, he even joked that he invited Matthews to dance off the opening faceoff. Yeah, that’s not happening. All in all, Reavo had nothing but good things to say about his former team and teammates. He’s enjoying his time in San Jose. Understandably so, he raved about Macklin Celebrini. He thinks the 19-year-old should be a no brainer for Canada’s Olympic roster.
You won’t want to miss the Friday edition of Leafs Morning Take. We’ll recap Leafs/Sharks, plus look ahead to Saturday night’s meeting with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Also, the incomparable Paul Bissonnette will stop by the show once again.
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