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“Oh child” as Bob Cole would have mentioned, what a day for Simon Benoit.
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The bleary-eyed new father reported for his first day of on-ice follow with the Maple Leafs on Friday, about 36 hours after serving to accomplice Alice with the beginning of their first little one.
Regardless of lack of slumber, he was tossed proper into coach Craig Berube’s grinder coaching camp.
When a aggressive protection drill went a bit too far with winger Max Domi, the 2 males amongst Toronto’s most bodily gamers, they ended up rolling across the Ford Centre ice in a wrestling match. Thankfully for Benoit, it was close to the top of the exercise with he and Domi close to exhaustion.
They did have a conciliatory second after the post-practice stretch, which Benoit led on the centre ice dot in honour of his fatherhood.
“Simply making an attempt to point out him my new Dad power,” cracked Benoit, including “we all know it is going to be totally different below Berube, he needs us to work arduous, play arduous. No arduous emotions (between he and Domi) it’s all buddy-buddy.”
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The yet-unnamed daughter for Benoit and accomplice Alice got here on the eve of Benoit’s 26th birthday on Thursday.
“Lengthy hours on the hospital and I’ve to return as we speak,” he mentioned. “I’m glad my girlfriend and the child are wholesome.
“(The beginning) was a reasonably particular second. I used to be simply making an attempt to know how that (child) got here from me and my girlfriend. Principally her, although I nonetheless had a little bit work in that course of. She simply seems at you and there’s not likely phrases for it.”
Benoit’s haggard look was the supply of a lot mirth within the dressing room as he sought recommendation from veteran Leafs with youngsters on suggestions to assist with sleep patterns.
“He seemed a bit like a zombie,” Jake McCabe, Benoit’s common defence accomplice final season, mentioned with amusing. “The brand new dads can chuckle about it, we’ve been there, finished that.
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“I’ve two good sleepers, so I received a great eight hours final evening.”
Benoit and McCabe are cut up at camp, not less than for now. McCabe is getting a glance with one of many membership’s three noteworthy blueline additions, Oliver Ekman-Larsson from the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Benoit was with Timothy Liljegren and within the second follow group, one other new dad, Morgan Rielly, has been teamed, as anticipated, with the brawniest of the brand new blueliners, Chris Tanev.
“They’ve been effective,” Berube mentioned of Tanev-Rielly, who’ve performed for Canada on the world championship. “I believe they’ll try to type some chemistry (however) it has been two days. I’m not going to leap forward and get speaking concerning the future. Chris is a personality man, can block a shot, it’s arduous to play towards him and he’s a great penalty killer.”
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But to see a full follow is 6-foot-7 free-agent signing Jani Hakanpaa, who possible is not going to begin the season on the energetic roster whereas getting a knee harm rehabbed.
Liljegren and Conor Timmins are again from final yr and Marlies reminiscent of Topi Niemela and Cade Webber are going to push for jobs by camp.
Crew captain Auston Matthews gave a shout-out to a different defender, Marshall Rifai, as a hard-nosed participant who had impressed him in summer time skates and up to now at camp. Benoit’s absence on Day 1 and Hakanpaa’s lack of ability to follow but might see some new pairings.
As exhibition video games begin — Sunday at residence towards Ottawa is the primary of six — there could be extra trials on defence. McCabe and Ekman-Larsson are each left pictures.
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“That’s the way in which the season goes, I believe we used a dozen defencemen final yr,” McCabe mentioned. “That’s the way in which it’s been my entire profession. Begin with a man and possibly change issues up or possibly stick with him all yr, you by no means know. You have got accidents, some long-term, and you want to fill these spots. You want contributions not simply out of your prime six, however seven, eight, 9, ten down the road.”
The 30-year-old McCabe additionally revealed contract talks on an extension started with the Leafs in summer time.
“I adore it right here, we’ll see how issues go,” McCabe mentioned. “Proceed to enhance is my purpose each single yr. The physique feels nice. As you place the video games collectively on this league (virtually 600 for him) you place your self in additional conditions to develop. Particularly as a defenceman, you see sure conditions, whether or not it’s line rushes, defensive zone protection and are capable of adapt.
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“In my general sport, I need to take one other step as a frontrunner on this workforce and push us in the fitting route.”
Benoit is OK if cut up from McCabe.
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“I performed with Timothy a few video games final yr, he’s (a great complement to Benoit’s stay-at-home type), he brings the puck to the web and is an effective skater, too.”
The gamers are shortly getting used to Berube’s type, the incumbents after virtually 5 years of Sheldon Keefe.
“(Day 1) was a great push, up and down the ice,” McCabe mentioned. “It’s the battle stage which you can’t replicate in the summertime. Simply flip the mind on that it’s time to ramp up the depth.”
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LOOSE LEAFS
Ahead Steven Lorentz, right here on a PTO after successful the Cup with the Panthers, was lacking Friday, listed as day-to-day with an upper-body harm. Fraser Minten, the younger centre who made the Leafs out of camp final yr, is now in a strolling boot after a high-ankle sprain on his left leg final week … This yr’s first-round decide, defenceman Ben Danford, is on skates however practising alone as he recovers from a concussion … Matthew Knies has put 10 kilos on an already-large body this summer time. He was requested if he and fellow Arizonan first-liner Matthews ever cross paths within the low season. “I smoked him at tennis,” boasted Knies, making the declare twice so the media didn’t miss it. Matthews adopted him to the rostrum, fairly offended. “He’s by no means crushed me at tennis. He got here within the room and informed me he mentioned that and I mentioned ‘I can’t consider you’d lie like that.’ We performed quite a bit. He’s good. However he lied.”
X: @sunhornby
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