What he didn’t see coming — and what his coach has waffled straining to demystify — was being nailed to the pine for the second half of Thursday night’s overtime loss against the Buffalo Sabres, wherein the 18-year-old was last seen on the ice with nine minutes and 49 seconds remaining in the second period.
asserted
minutes → see → period
At Saturday’s morning skate, McKenna — No. 1 NHL draft pick — was asked the last time that had occurred.
asserted
that → ask → skate
“Umm, I can’t say it’s ever happened.
asserted
it → say → ?
If it had been mentally bruising, the always poised teenager wasn’t sharing.
asserted
teenager → bruise → ?
In any event, McKenna and coach Jim Hiller have smoothed it out since, in more than one conversation.
asserted
McKenna → smooth → conversation
“Obviously, you want to play,” said McKenna.
asserted
McKenna → want → ?
“But we had a good talk.
asserted
we → have → talk
We have a good relationship together, me and Jim.
asserted
We → have → relationship
He said that it had nothing to do with my play, which is obviously nice to know.
asserted
which → say → play
It doesn’t really take away from your confidence at all.
asserted
It → take → confidence
Appreciated him reaching out.
asserted
him → appreciate → ?
“I trust him.
asserted
I → trust → him
I trust the team.
asserted
I → trust → team
I trust what they want to do.
asserted
they → trust → what
I’m willing to play whatever role this team wants
asserted
team → ’m → role
In that game’s particular circumstances, the Leafs had been killing off a stretch of penalties.
asserted
Leafs → kill → penalties
McKenna doesn’t work the penalty kill.
asserted
McKenna → work → kill
“At the end of the second, you think maybe you’d get a shift.
asserted
you → think → shift
But it didn’t come.
asserted
it → come → ?
Then you sit for a while and get a little bit cold.
asserted
you → sit → while
Then you’re hoping for a shift (in the third) but when it doesn’t come, you start to realize that you’re going to be watching for a little bit.”
asserted
you → hop → bit
Tactfully, he put a positive spin on that.
asserted
he → put → that
“Honestly, sitting there watching, I tried to learn as much as I could.”
uncertain
I → sit → much
Weird, though, when the Leafs, letting a two-goal lead slip away, could certainly have used McKenna’s proven playmaking skills.
uncertain
lead → let → skills
On his initial explanatory go-round, which sounded more like attempted exculpation, Hiller said he didn’t want to put an unloosened McKenna on the ice, on the other side of the intermission, with a shortened bench.
asserted
he → sound → bench
And then he seemed to forget McKenna even existed.
asserted
McKenna → seem → ?
“I probably should have got him out there early in the third.
asserted
I → get → third
I didn’t.
asserted
I → do → ?
So I’ll talk to him about it.”
asserted
I → talk → it
On Saturday morning, the narrative had shifted slightly as Hiller revisited the episode, acknowledging he’d had opportunities to get McKenna back in the game.
asserted
he → shift → game
“I thought about it, for sure.
asserted
I → think → it
And then, now he’d sat forever.
asserted
he → sit → ?
Hiller took hell for it from commentators and on social media.
asserted
Hiller → take → media
But both, however, clearly want to put it behind them.
asserted
both → want → them
An injury to Chris Tanev and struggles from other blueliners are making Toronto’s most glaring issue more pronounced.
asserted
issue → make → blueliners
An injury to Chris Tanev and struggles from other blueliners are making Toronto’s most glaring issue more pronounced.
asserted
issue → make → blueliners
“It was a good conversation, like Gavin and I have had since I met him,” said Hiller.
asserted
Hiller → have → him
“He’s a really interesting guy.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
I just love his personality.
asserted
I → love → personality
He’s got great confidence, he knows how good he is, he knows how great he’s going to be.
asserted
he → get → confidence
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
