Maple Leafs Make Last-Minute Practice Change, and Fans Instantly Notice Who's Missing
Photo credit: Credit: Steven Ellis/The Nation Network
The Toronto Maple Leafs made a surprise change to practice after their 5-2 loss, and in doing so, the fans noticed one notable absence who should probably be there.
After a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night, it was back to business for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Taking the ice for practice on Wednesday, they get a two-day respite to gather their bearings and try to put in a much better effort against the lowly Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
Craig Berube Alters the Maple Leafs' Practice Plan at the Last Minute
But that practice went from being one that had all hands on deck, to an optional one which is a bit surprising given how rough their play was on Tuesday, but the names appearing weren't ones you'd hope for.
Max Domi, Nick Robertson, Nicolas Roy, Steven Lorentz, Calle Jarnkrok, Easton Cowan, Sammy Blais, Philippe Myers, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Cayden Primeau all took the ice on Wednesday.
It's great to see guys like Domi, Robertson, Roy, and Ekman-Larsson take the ice, as it shows a clear desire to improve, work on things and keep themselves prepared with the trio of veterans showing a bit of leadership.
Craig Berube mentioned that the reason for the shift was given how banged up the boys were, and they were more than welcome to skate but can certainly have a day off.
Fans Flood Social Media After Spotting a Key Absence on the Ice
With that said, the starters were given a chance to reset after Tuesday, although fans were not too happy with the fact that captain Auston Matthews decided to skip out, even after a brutal performance against the Devils:
It echoed the frustrations of head coach Craig Berube, who mentioned that Matthews needed to be better, and in the wake of those comments his absence doesn't help his reputation as Toronto's captain.
The reaction also comes off the heels of Anthony Stolarz's comments recently, and fans were questioning then if Matthews was the right choice, and this isn't helping his case.
We also see an absence of other leaders like Morgan Rielly and John Tavares, although the latter actually put in the best performance of the team last night so a day off is deserved at least.
Toronto will get their chances to get back on track against Buffalo on Friday, and fans are hoping that unlike today's practice, Auston Matthews decides to show up.
This is a developing story. More details to come.
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