• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Column

Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Matthews, Engvall, Thornton & More

By The Old Prof January 8th, 2021

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll take a look at some of the news emerging from Week 1 of the team’s training camp. First, I’ll report the good news that the team’s been granted approval from the Province of Ontario to play home games.

Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Perry, Holl, Dermott & Seattle Kraken

Second, I’ll share a number of items that impact the Maple Leafs’ star forward Auston Matthews, including the announcement that he’s likely to play on the team’s penalty kill this season. Third, I’ll report that defenseman Joseph Duszak’s been added to the Maple Leafs’ training camp roster; and, finally, I’ll share what Joe Thornton says about playing with his young line mates Matthews and Mitch Marner.

Item One: Ontario Agrees to Allow the Toronto Maple Leafs to Play at Home

The Province of Ontario has given the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators the green light to host home games during the upcoming 2020-21 season. Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Minister, made that announcement Thursday afternoon.

As it stands right now, only the Province of Manitoba has not officially approved NHL home games for the 2020-21 Winnipeg Jets’ season. Ontario has now joined British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec as provinces that have signed off on the plan the NHL has proposed.

Item Two: Auston Matthews Will Play on Penalty Kill this Season

According to a Kevin McGran article yesterday in the Toronto Star, Auston Matthews is expected to see time on the penalty kill this season. The team will be working on special-team plays over the next few days of training camp, and part of that play includes Matthews and Jason Spezza taking some turns on the penalty-kill. The other usual suspects – including Mitch Marner, Zach Hyman, and Ilya Mikheyev – also play that role. Alexander Kerfoot is out so until he returns, he obviously won’t be participating.

Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews
Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young)

As head coach Sheldon Keefe noted on Thursday, it’s something that Matthews hasn’t done.

Keefe added that “I don’t expect it to be any sort of full-time role or responsibility, but on a part-time basis as needed. We wanted to start getting him comfortable with those situations. Faceoffs in particular, he can bring a lot to us on the left side. And we’ve seen so much growth as a defensive player that we believe that he’d bring a lot to the penalty kill, and obviously the offensive threat when he is on the ice is a nice addition. So, we’re going to start to get him some minutes, in that regard.”  (from Auston Matthews to kill penalties for the Maple Leafs,” Kevin McGran, Toronto Star, 07/01/21).

Item Three: Pierre Engvall Steps into Alexander Kerfoot’s Place During Practice

The last word about Kerfoot was that he’s day-to-day after being injured during Tuesday’s practice. Because Kerfoot wasn’t on the ice for Wednesday’s session, Pierre Engvall took his place between Zach Hyman and Ilya Mikheyev during the team’s scrimmage.

Engvall filling in at 3C with Kerfoot hurt. https://t.co/Z4XLpB7IAC

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) January 6, 2021

Item Four: Joseph Duszak Has Been Added to Maple Leafs’ Training Camp Roster

Yesterday, Joseph Duszak was added to Toronto’s training camp roster. Duszak scored three goals and 15 assists (for 18 points) in 23 games with the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies last season. The 23-year-old defenseman also added nine goals and 26 assists (for 35 points) in 34 games with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers in 2019-20. 

Defenceman Joseph Duszak has been added to the @MapleLeafs training camp roster. https://t.co/235jV0lsYK

— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) January 6, 2021

Item Five: Joe Thornton Admits to Feeling Youthful with the Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs have to believe that, even if the Joe Thornton experiment with the team works splendidly, it will likely be for a good time and not a long time. As a result, the team’s task is to maximize the skills – both in leadership and in play-making – Jumbo Joe brings to the team. Thornton has been, for more than 20 seasons, one of the NHL’s most talented players.

Related: Flames Need More Women in Leadership

In fact, he’ll quickly be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame when he retires. Although immediately placing Thornton with partners Matthews and Mitch Marner on the team’s top line might have been a bit of a surprise, it isn’t without logic.

Toronto Maple Leafs Mitch Marner Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews
Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner and Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)

That logic includes the fact that, as Keefe notes, Thornton thinks the game well. When Keefe speaks about Thornton’s skills as a veteran leader, he notes that he believes the NHL veteran “thinks the game” in a way similar to the way Marner and Matthews think it.

Keefe notes specifically, “He’s (Thornton) got an elite brain, great energy, great leadership that will help our young stars.”

Although many Maple Leafs’ fans are worried the speed of today’s NHL game might have left Thornton behind, Keefe suggests he’s not really that worried about that aspect of the game. He believes that, given the way Marner and Matthews can skate and get back on defense, those two players will complement Thornton nicely.

Related: Top 3 All-Time Stars Goalies

How does Thornton respond? Although Thornton’s 41 years old, thanks to his teammates he’s feeling a renewed sense of youth. As soon as he hit the ice with his new teammates, he began appreciating their relatively young age. Both Matthews and Marner are 23 years of age.

Thornton praised for his younger partners. As the Toronto Star’s Lance Hornby tweeted, “To start with them is pretty special. I feel young again.”

Thornton on Matthews/Marner: "to start with them is pretty special. I feel young again." On his first official day as a Leaf: "to have grown up in Southwestern Ont. watching Dougie Gilmour, Wendel … it's special. "

— Lance Hornby (@sunhornby) January 4, 2021

Although Thornton’s played center almost exclusively during his 22-year NHL career, he’s fine moving to left wing. Specifically, he noted that he “played like a rover in San Jose” and feels comfortable there. Thornton also played left wing in Switzerland with HC Davos this season.

Thornton said he played left wing in Switzerland. Asked if he was surprised that coach Sheldon Keefe put him on the top line with Matthews and Marner, he replied: "Nope."#Leafs

— Mike Zeisberger (@Zeisberger) January 4, 2021

Last season, Thornton scored seven goals and 24 points with the Sharks in 70 games. Now a 22-year veteran, he was drafted first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. By the way, that was the year both Matthews and Marner were born.

Joe Thornton Early in his career with Boston

Thronton signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Maple Leafs in October, and used his time at home in Switzerland to get ready for the NHL season. He and his family live in Davos during the NHL offseason.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

I haven’t heard anything about Kerfoot’s injury. Although Engvall is currently taking his place on the third line, he’s not the only candidate who might take a shot if Kerfoot is more than day-to-day.

Related: Maple Leafs Radical Trade Rumors: Nylander, Ekblad, Nurse & Subban

Other leading candidates who could also skate between Mikheyev and Hyman if Kerfoot misses more time would be Travis Boyd, a 27-year-old center who signed a one-year contract during the offseason, and Adam Brooks, who played seven games for the Maple Leafs last season and is projected to become the Marlies’ first line center this season.

The Maple Leafs’ lineup is deep, and a number of possibilities might exist to fill in for any injury.


Sign up for our regular 'Maple Leafs Newsletter' for all the latest.

  • Tags
  • Alex Kerfoot
  • Auston Matthews
  • Joe Thornton
  • Pierre Engvall
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 22nd 6:25 PM
Column

Winnipeg Jets News & Rumors: Hellebuyck, Scheifele, Ehlers & Connor

Jan 22nd 5:35 PM
Advanced Stats

Kings’ Anze Kopitar Still Has Trade Value, But Big Cap Hit Hurts

Jan 22nd 5:25 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets Held Back By John Tortorella’s Stubbornness

Jan 22nd 5:15 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers Newcomers Finding Their Roles

Jan 22nd 5:05 PM
Nashville Predators

Predators’ New Third Pairing Paying Early Dividends

Jan 22nd 4:55 PM
Winnipeg Jets

Jets Could Use Heinola’s Offensive Skill & Hockey IQ for Seasons to Come

Jan 22nd 4:45 PM
Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes Must Improve After COVID-19 Pause

Jan 22nd 4:30 PM
Nashville Predators

Predators’ Power Play Lacks A Lot

Jan 22nd 4:20 PM
Women's Hockey

Meet the NWHL’s EBUG: Mariah Fujimagari

Jan 22nd 4:10 PM
Calgary Flames

Flames Rewarded Early by New Top Line of Tkachuk, Lindholm & Dube

Editor’s Picks
2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini's Top 75 Rankings

2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini's Top 75 Rankings

NHL TV Blackouts & Why They Happen?

NHL TV Blackouts & Why They Happen?

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information