LOS ANGELES — To a Maple Leafs defence running out of room for error, Sheldon Keefe has added some Kral space.
If nothing else, putting Czech rookie Filip Kral into his first NHL game here Saturday takes some harsh glare off the starting six, whom Keefe was critical of this week in losses to Vegas and San Jose.
And though the coach said changing pairs wouldn’t likely do much as long as breakouts from the defensive zone weren’t being executed properly by all five skaters, Kral was just one element of more tinkering during Friday’s practice at Crypto.com Arena.
Keefe began by separating all seven blueliners at one end of the ice for the rudimentary drills usually saved for home practices. When they joined the forwards, Kral was with Mark Giordano in place of the scratched Victor Mete, but the most vilified duo — primarily Justin Holl and to a lesser extent Rasmus Sandin — remained in place behind the No. 1 tandem of Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie.
“Justin likes really direct, honest feedback and we’ve given him that,” Keefe said . “Certainly, a little more direct today because it’s been snowballing, and it hasn’t taken the positive steps we’d like it to.
“But he’s an experienced guy for us, an important guy because of what he does on the penalty-kill, with the injuries we’ve had and our only right shot defenceman. A guy we need more out of.”
For the defence in general, Keefe has linked the many difficulties on offence, namely scoring and controlling play, to either stray passes or indecisiveness coming out of the Leafs end.
“Not only (click on the first pass), put it in a spot where the forwards have room to skate with it,” Holl said of where to improve.
“That’s got to be the main emphasis for us. You might start your shift in the D-zone and at that point your responsibility is get the puck out, get the O-zone and try to establish a shift where you’re making the other team run around as opposed to you.”
CZECH IT OUT
Keefe was thinking of using the 6-foot-2 Kral in one of this weekend’s back-to-backs, here or in Anaheim on Sunday. The fifth-round pick in 2018 has put in more than 70 minor-league games.
“If you’re him, playing your first NHL game, it’s good to know in advance off a practice, rather than be thrown in a back-to-back in a 5 p.m. start (with no morning skate).”
Keefe had Kral up for a look a few times going back to last year, but never had the right moment to use him. When the youngster had a good camp in September, Keefe kept him in mind.
Then came injuries to Timothy Liljegren, Jordie Benn and most recently, Jake Muzzin’s long term neck issue.
Once his NHL debut was made official, Kral intended to call his brothers and large family in Czechia to try and watch in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
“I came in today and saw my name on the board paired with Gio and on the ice Sheldon came and told me,” an excited Kral said.
RIGHT RECIPE ELUSIVE
More changes are coming at forward for the 4-3-1 Leafs, after a significant shake-up already between defeats in Vegas and San Jose.
These are more about switching back — Michael Bunting’s separation from Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner lasting just one game — while Keefe altered what had been a productive second unit before this week.
Alex Kerfoot is on his third line in as many games, taking Nick Robertson’s spot with John Tavares and William Nylander.
That sets up the second feel-good Leafs story on Saturday, Robertson’s L.A. homecoming.
He departed with his family as an eight-year-old on a hockey journey through the OHL, the Marlies and a few injuries to a nostalgic line with Wayne Simmonds, a member of the Kings when Nick grew up here in the early 2000s.
“That’s pretty neat when he said to me today: ‘I used to watch you in this building’,” Simmonds said.
“I’ve been in this building a million times. They drafted me in the second round, it’s always special.”
LOOSE LEAFS
Without a role after Friday’s shuffle are forwards Denis Malgin and Zach Aston-Reese, while Nicolas Aube-Kubel returns on a checking line with David Kampf and Pierre Engvall. Calle Jarnkrok will be centring Robertson and Simmonds … Ilya Samsonov starts in net after Keefe said the cold or flu bug that has nagged him is dissipating … The Leafs broke out their black equipment on Friday, which they’ll wear with the dark Justin Bieber ‘Flipside’ sweaters against the Kings, who’ll wear white … Phillies manager Rob Thomson was asked before the World Series against the Astros if he’d heard from any celebrities offering support. The Sarnia-born Thomson mentioned he’s spoken to Dave Keon and had to explain who the Leafs legend was in case the baseball press was puzzled … Nick Abruzzese scored at 3:58 of overtime on Friday as the Marlies improved to 4-2-0 with a 4-3 win over the Syracuse Crunch. Joey Anderson scored twice for the Marlies, giving the winger six goals in six games. Defenceman Jordie Benn had the other Toronto goal. Goalie Keith Petruzzelli stopped 37 of 40 shots for the Marlies and is now 4-0 on the season with a 1.97 goals against average and .925 save percentage.
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