Achi news desk-
After practice on Friday, Sheldon Keefe discussed the status of William Nylander and Auston Matthews, who will make a change on the blue line for Game 4, and the physicality of the series.
Practice Lines – April 26
Leaf practice lines
Bertuzzi – Dewar – Domi
Knies – Tavares – Marner
Nylander – Holmberg – Jarnkrok
Robertson – Kampf – Reaves
GregorRieli – Liljegren
Benoit – McCabe
Edmundson – Brodie
Giordano – Timmins
WebberSamsonov
Woll
JonesGame 4 tomorrow @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@marhmasters) April 26, 2024
How did William Nylander look to you, and what is his status moving forward?
Keefe: He looked a lot on the ice for me. We will have to determine his status tomorrow.
How is Auston Matthews doing?
Keefe: Things are fine. He needed another day today to help restore his energy, recharge, and all those kinds of things. We’ll see where he is tomorrow too.
What have you learned about Matthews’ ability to fight through when he’s not feeling his best?
Keefe: I just know that Auston will give us everything he has. I would say the same about his game the other night. For me, he played really hard and had a few chances that could have gone his way and didn’t. The one off the post comes to mind. He played very hard, and this was perhaps his most physical game of the series. He felt he didn’t have it in other ways, so he was trying to affect the game in different places.
As he has shown with his performance in Game 2 – an important game for us – and throughout the season, he has given us everything he has. Because of that, as a coach and medical staff, you want to give him every chance to be at his best tomorrow.
What would having him back for Game 4 mean for the team?
Keefe: He is a very important player for us in many ways. It’s about getting him to full health and making sure he’s ready to step into a series of this quality at this time of year and all these things. That would be the next step.
Is it a tough decision on who comes out if Nylander returns?
Keefe: It is. The guys have done a good job. The guys who are in talks to come out offer different things to the lineup and have done a good job. The first situation is to find out where Willy is [stands] and its availability. We will make a decision from there.
Yesterday and today, there have been many conversations about what we think is best, which is a sign that the players have done a good job of making things difficult.
Do you expect Ilya Lyubushkin to be an option for Game 4?
Keefe: I will. He’s on his way back here (from California). First we’ll make sure he gets back and see how he feels tomorrow. We will make a decision from there.
It’s kind of a tough few days, but it’s exciting at the same time. From his point of view, it has been on his mind while his family has been away. They have welcomed a new addition and succeeded in doing so, given this gap in the schedule. We’ll have to get him back and make sure he’s ready to go.
Outside of Lyubushkin’s status, are you considering a change at the back?
Keefe: We are looking at some different things. We have the Lyubushkin situation. We have some health stuff to go through. We will see where the group stands coming out of practice today and make a decision on that as well.
What is the message for TJ Brodie after three games out of the lineup to ensure he is ready to go?
Keefe: Going into the playoffs – and I had talked to him even when the regular season was going on – the message is that it’s important to stay ready. He looked like he was going to be on the outside, but he has a lot of experience. We wanted to look at the play-offs — one we’ve liked — but it’s important for him to stay ready.
It’s not just him; Timmins and Giordano are the same. Things can change very quickly at playtime. In Brodie’s case, he played so much in the regular season and has so much experience in the league and in the playoffs. It’s important that he keeps his mentality right, but it’s difficult for a guy like him who’s used to playing every day.
Game 4 had another high hit count with 133 hits. The Panthers and Lightning combined for nearly 150. What stands out about the physicality of the playoffs this year, and how taxing is it on the players?
Keefe: I think the numbers are higher than ever because they count them differently than ever. In playoffs, it goes without saying. It is physical. Players are closing space faster than they do in the regular season, and they are finishing with authority. There is no doubt that is not true.
You referred to the other series from our section. Our split is very physical. It is a very difficult section. Not surprisingly that is the case there. I don’t expect that to change, especially with a day or two between Game 3 and Game 4.
As a coach, how do you handle the ups and downs and curveballs of a playoff series differently than you would have a few years ago?
Keefe: With experience, I’d like to think you get better. But, before I coached in the NHL, I coached a lot in the playoffs at various levels. No matter what level you’re at, the curve balls, ups, downs, and emotional swings don’t change. That’s the reality of the playoffs. This is the most exciting part. You are on top of the world on one shift, period, or game. On the next, you are looking for answers. It’s kind of the way it goes.
If anything, over time and with experience, you recognize that the most important thing is to stay even-keeled, keep believing in your team, and help them find ways to win.
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Sheldon Keefe’s post on who leaves the lineup if William Nylander returns for Game 4: "The players have done a good job of making the decision difficult" – Maple Leafs Hot Stove appeared first on Canada News Media.
