KOSHAN: Tavares will continue to wing it in Buffalo as Maple Leafs seek third win in four games
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Published Feb 21, 2023 • 3 minute read
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Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares celebrates with the bench after scoring a power play goal in the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Photo by Jamie Sabau /USA TODAY Sports Article content
BUFFALO — John Tavares isn’t going anywhere.
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That wasn’t a reference to the National Hockey League trade deadline, which comes on March 3.
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The Maple Leafs captain, of course, has nothing to worry about in that regard.
For the time being and perhaps longer, Tavares will remain on the left wing on the Leafs’ second line, with Ryan O’Reilly at centre and Mitch Marner on the right.
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The trio will get another look on Tuesday night (7:30 p.m.) when the Leafs make their lone visit of 2022-23 to the KeyBank Center to take on the Buffalo Sabres.
Toronto is coming off a flat 5-3 loss in Chicago against the Blackhawks on Sunday. Following a full day off on Monday, the only two players not on the ice for the optional morning skate were Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
“I think he has adjusted fine,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said of moving Tavares from centre. “I’ve watched all the shifts for that line through the two games and try to see if there is some difficulty, and I don’t see that.
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“As I told John when we first made the move, it was something that’s not going to be a one-off. We’re going to stay with it for a little bit, give it some time to come together.”
Tavares has played the wing, but only sporadically and never with regularity in the NHL. He was on the wing on a line for Canada with Steven Stamkos and Ryan Getzlaf during the 2016 World Cup, and also with Bern in the Swiss League during the lockout in the 2012-13 season.
“It’s different,” Tavares said. “When you’re playing centre, you’re in the middle of the ice a lot.
“I have to continue to do a good job of adapting to a lot of wall play, offensively and defensively. With Ryan’s headiness and how responsible he is with and without the puck and the poise that he plays with, that can lead to really good looks, puck possession, time and space. I’m trying not to overcomplicate it. It’s a good opportunity for me.”
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Both O’Reilly and Noel Acciari, acquired together from the St. Louis Blues on Friday night, have adjusted well despite not yet having the benefit of a full practice with their new teammates.
“It’s kind of weird just jumping right into the games,” O’Reilly said. “But it’s good. A lot of the chemistry starts to build within those games. (The line) is doing a lot of things well. Each game, we’re getting pucks back and we’re close (to breaking through offensively).”
And how about the adjustment to wearing the blue and white leaf?
“I still at times kind of catch myself,” O’Reilly said. “I still can’t believe it … wearing it now, it’s a little surreal. It’s awesome.”
With Acciari on the fourth line between Zach Aston-Reese and Alex Kerfoot, Keefe said it’s the best he has seen from that depth line all season.
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The Sabres have won their past two games following a four-game losing streak.
Buffalo is four points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but has six games in hand. The Sabres’ .556 point percentage is better than Florida (.533) and the New York Islanders (.542), who are in the first wild-card spot.
The Sabres have missed the playoff for 11 seasons in a row, the longest skid in the National Hockey League.
“We’re trying to break a big drought here and we’re trying to get in, we know where we’re at,” forward Kyle Okposo said. “I don’t think you can really have a rivalry (with the Leafs) until you have a playoff series against somebody because that’s where the bad blood really starts. It’s about as close as you can get as a regular-season rivalry, but we’re trying to make a push and these guys are in our way tonight.”
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The Leafs again won’t have Rasmus Sandin, who is dealing with a minor injury, though Keefe said the defenceman is progressing well.
The projected lineups for Tuesday night:
TORONTO
FORWARDS
LW-C-RW
Michael Bunting-Auston Matthews-William Nylander
John Tavares-Ryan O’Reilly-Mitch Marner
Pierre Engvall-David Kampf-Calle Jarnkrok
Zach Aston-Reese-Noel Acciari-Alex Kerfoot
DEFENCE
Morgan Rielly-Justin Holl
Mark Giordano-Timothy Liljegren
TJ Brodie-Conor Timmins
GOAL
Ilya Samsonov
Joseph Woll
BUFFALO
FORWARDS
LW-C-RW
Jeff Skinner-Tage Thompson-Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka-Dylan Cozens-Victor Olofsson
Casey Mittelstadt-Peyton Krebs-Jack Quinn
Zemgus Girgensons-Tyson Jost-Kyle Okposo
DEFENCE
Rasmus Dahlin-Henri Jokiharju
Owen Power-Mattias Samuelsson
Ilya Lyubushkin-Jacob Bryson
GOAL
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Eric Comrie/Craig Anderson
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