Day two of on-ice sessions are underway at Toronto Maple Leafs training camp and there were some notable changes within the first group.
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According to the team, Steven Lorentz did not take part as the forward has an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.
Lorentz joined the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout after playing in 16 of the Florida Panthers’ playoff games, helping them win a Stanley Cup.
Defenseman Simon Benoit returned to on-ice sessions after being excused so that he and his partner could welcome their first child.
Benoit skated on a defensive pair with Timothy Liljegren during the session. Roni Hirvonen moved up into Lorentz’s spot to skate with veterans David Kampf and Ryan Reaves.
Benoit was rewarded with his play last season by signing a three-year extension worth $1.35 million per season.
Defensive prospect Ben Danford hit the ice wearing a red non-contact jersey earlier in the morning.
Toronto’s first-round pick from the 2024 NHL Draft sustained a concussion during rookies practice last ahead of their preparation for a pair of games against the Montreal Canadiens’ rookies.
There is no timetable in place for when Danford can join the main group.
The second group saw no changes in terms of forward groups. Just some mild shifting with defense pairs, although the Morgan Rielly-Christ Tanev pair remains in tact.
Kyle Clifford left the second session early and was walking gingerly on his way to the locker room. No word on exactly what occurred. The veteran forward was seen walking around afterwards with no issue so it doesn’t appear to be anything major.
Work on the penalty kill
The Maple Leafs worked on penalty kill extensively at camp on Friday. The special-teams unit, which is run by new associate coach Lane Lambert, is a bit different than what the club is used to in previous years.
“We wanted to get out there early because it’s a new system with the penalty kill, and I think it’s important to get some dry runs in there so they’re familiar,” Berube explained. “We’ll work on penalty killing a little bit more on the day of the game with both groups, the team that’s going to play (Sunday against the Ottawa Senators and the team that’s not going to play.”
Lambert has deployed the “power kill” over the years while with the New York Islanders. The term refers to highly skilled players typically known for their offense to take part on the PK. The Leafs have already deployed this regularly with Mitch Marner. It wasn’t until recent years that they also started using players like William Nylander and Auston Matthews in that role.
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving identified penalty kill as a much-needed improvement for his club. It’s why he signed Chris Tanev to a six-year, $27 million deal this summer. Jani Hakanpaa could also prove to be a solid penalty killer if he can return to the ice and be an effective contributer. The Leafs had the ninth-worst penalty kill last season at 76.9 percent.
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