For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The Toronto Maple Leafs opened up their practice facility in Etobicoke, ON to their players for the first time since the NHL shutdown in mid-March, as the league entered Phase 2 of the Return To Play plan and moved one step closer to the start of action on the ice. Leafs team captain John Tavares (one of five players on the committee) spoke to the media on Tuesday via Zoom and indicated that while it was great to see teammates and get on the ice, the end goal even after three months of inaction is to win the Stanley Cup. “At the end of the day, we're still competing for the Stanley Cup and to win it is obviously going to be extremely difficult. We're dealing with circumstances we've never dealt with before, so there's a lot of unknown. I think the urgency from our group, from all the guys on the team being in contact with one another and from management and staff, is extremely high to take advantage of this opportunity, to feel fortunate that there's a good chance that we're going to be able to finish the season and be able to play for the Stanley Cup and that we're a part of this, to really embrace it and not take this opportunity for granted.… Tavares said. I know there's a lot of excitement from the guys to kind of get back in a little bit, going back to the rink seeing each other, it's been such a breath of fresh air. But I guess as an athlete, as a player, I don't really look at it as a free pass. This is an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup and don't take any of those chances or those opportunities for granted.… Tavares skated with winger Ilya Mikheyev, defenseman Jake Muzzin, and goalie Jack Campbell at the Ford Performance Centre on Tuesday and that group will be joined by linemate Mitch Marner and blueliner Cody Ceci on Thursday.
The captain's excited to be back on the ice for Phase 2.#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/ockJvymqzc
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 9, 2020
Latest @OffThePostRadio Podcast with @AnthonyMingioni, @MikeInBuffalo, & @sportsology.
— 🎙🏒Off The Post Radio 🥅 🚨 (@OffThePostRadio) June 7, 2020
We discuss the nuts & bolts of Phase 2, which Hub Cities we see as most likely, how NHL roster size might be handled, Isles’ Ilya Sorokin dilemma, & much more.
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