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Published Oct 14, 2023 • 4 minute read
New Marlies head coach Jon Gruden speaks to the media in Toronto, July 7, 2023. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
The Toronto Marlies began their American Hockey League season at home Saturday, apparently needing an autumn refresher in protecting a third period lead.
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Up 4-1 with 18 minutes to play, they fell 5-4 in overtime to the Rochester Americans at Coca Cola Coliseum. It spoiled John Gruden’s regular season coaching debut, though Bobby McMann came back from an injury and clearing NHL waivers with a two-goal game. Captain Logan Shaw had two and two assists. Keith Petruzzelli made 27 saves.
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On Saturday morning, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said he looked forward to a mutually productive relationship with Gruden, as he had with predecessor Greg Moore. Gruden joined Keefe and his new Leaf assistants, Guy Boucher and Mike Van Ryn, during mid-summer meetings as players dropped in for workouts, including many who’ve since been moved to the Marlies or ECHL Newfoundland Growlers.
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“We have a very unique situation with John,” Keefe said. “He come in as an AHL coach, but also has a lot of experience in the NHL as an assistant with Boston and the Islanders, a head coach in junior and he played a long time.
“So, he adds a lot of perspective. He was part of our plan getting ready at camp and I enjoyed using him as a resource.”
Back to Keefe’s days as a Calder Cup winning coach with the Marlies, players coming up the Lake Shore from the CNE have generally had a seamless transition to the parent club.
“Certainly we want things to be as uniform as possible (in the whole system), especially play without the puck and how we defend,” Keefe said. “Yet John and I have talked, as I did with Greg, that’s it’s two different teams, two different leagues, two schedules. They have to coach their team and it’s important they have flexibility as coaches and their own identity.
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“But it’s also very important that the players we recall, for their own good, not so much as us, want to do well when they get here, be more in tune with what we’re doing.”
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WELLWOOD ABSENT
The Marlies began the year without new assistant coach Eric Wellwood. The brother of former Leaf Kyle has an undefined medical condition that has necessitated an indefinite leave of absence
“He’s OK,” Marlies general manager Ryan Hardy assured earlier this week. “I’m in contact with him all the time and I know people are wondering where he is.
“But obviously, any time you have a medical situation just for respect for the family, and for Eric, as he works through that process, that’ll probably be all I’ll touch on with that.”
GO FOR IT
It was go time Saturday for the ex-Minnesota Golden Gophers on opposite sides of the Scotiabank ice.
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Former college teammates Matthew Knies and Brock Faber said they were putting friendships aside, including what’s traditionally a Friday night dinner before a Hockey Night In Canada game in Toronto.
“We’re both giving each other a little bit of space,” Knies laughed at Saturday’s morning skate.
Faber, like Knies, came up late last season after the Gophers season ended with an overtime loss in the NCAA Frozen Four. Now the pair, with Arizona’s Logan Cooley, have launched 2023-24 in noteworthy fashion, defenceman Faber and forward Cooley with points in their first game (Faber’s first NHL goal), winger Knies getting untracked in that crazy 6-5 shootout win over Montreal on Wednesday.
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“Brock was one of my best friends in school, he was our captain and I looked up to him a lot,” Knies said. “I loved to learn from that guy and pretty cool I get to play against him now. Nice to see (Faber and Cooley) do well.
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“Minnesota was the perfect place for me to develop (Knies was born in Arizona, while Faber is a North Star State native and Cooley from Pittsburgh).”
Cooley was the Coyotes’ first rounder, third overall in 2022, Faber and Knies second rounders the past couple of drafts.
“Matt’s a great guy and a hell of a hockey player, too,” Faber said. “The day he stepped on campus, everyone loved him. He’s always worked his tail off.
“We made the decision (to leave Minnesota early), but it’s fun we get to face off so early. We were all so close and that’s a bond we hope will last forever. But when playing against them … they’re not friends.”
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LOOSE LEAFS
The game began with a pre-anthems plea for peace in the Middle East, read by announcer Mike Ross, and a moment of silence for innocent victim on both sides. It was a Leafs initiative though some other NHL teams had their own versions the past couple of days … Saturday was also the 62nd anniversary of Paul Morris’s first game as P.A. man at the Gardens, a 3-2 home opener win over Boston. From there, the Leafs went on to win three straight Cups, while Morris and his distinctive delivery did not miss a game for more than 1,500 nights up to the close of the Gardens in 1999 … How big an impression did Toronto and St. John’s leave on ex-Leaf and now Wild assistant coach Darby Hendrickson in the ‘90s? “I still listen to the Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo.”
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