Be sure to like HockeyBuzz on facebook! For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The Toronto Maple Leafs are using a series of scrimmages to ramp up towards the beginning of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with only one exhibition game between now and Game 1 against the Columbus BLue Jackets on August 2. The second such scrimmage of Team Matthews vs. Team Andersen took place at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday. The Matthewites won 6-2 to even the best-of-five at 1-1, with William Nylander scoring twice, Denis Malgin, Auston Matthews, John Tavares and rookie Nick Robertson adding singles for the winners, with Jason Spezza and Alex Kerfoot replying for the vanquished. Robertson took the place of Zach Hyman (who was felled by a shot on Friday and did not participate) on the line with Matthews and Nylander and was impressive, scoring on a short-handed breakaway in the first and nearly added another on a chance at the end of the period. "It's a good sign. I think that's what you expect though during training camp, when someone goes down you want someone to come in and take that spot and play well, compete and be a part of the scrimmage I think he did a good job today." defenseman Morgan Rielly said after the scrimmage. "When you're a young kid and you come into training camp, you want to make a good impression. I think you put a lot of pressure on yourself to perform (to) try to make the team, try to be a part of it and I'm sure that's what he's experiencing right now." Head coach Sheldon Keefe continues to not play into the hype and excitement about the 18-year-old prospect, and barring an injury Robertson will likely be an extra when the playoffs begin.
Head down hustle from @nickrobertson01#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/mNLbGgeIb1
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 18, 2020
Keefe could not elaborate on the status of Hyman with the new restrictions on injury information, but the Leafs forward did return to the ice after blocking the shot on Friday, which is an indicator that the injury is not of a serious nature. Nylander left the ice after a collision with Rielly, but returned after to score one of his two goals. *******
The Leafs made some news off the ice, as they announced the signing of defenseman Teemu Kivihalme to a two-year, two-way contract extension worth $1.45 Million ($725,000 AAV). The 25-year-old Finn had 18 points (4 goals, 14 assists) in 55 games as a rookie for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League this season after signing a one-year entry-level contract with the Leafs last May. With the departure of Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci at the NHL level, the trade of Ben Harpur, pending free agency of veteran Kevin Gravel and the possibility of the Leafs losing a defenseman in the expansion draft, Kivihalme represents quality depth on the blueline that could challenge for a bottom pairing role during the term of his contract. *******
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— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) July 17, 2020