Throw in former Lightning defenceman Darren Raddysh, with his booming slapshot, and three of the most significant additions to a Leafs team hoping to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs are veterans of a Sunshine State rivalry that featured a pre-season game last year with 322 penalty minutes and 16 ejections.
asserted
that → throw → minutes
“The Battle of Florida was definitely fun,” Paul said Monday as the Leafs prepared for training camp with a charity golf tournament.
asserted
Leafs → say → tournament
“We’ve talked about it.”
asserted
We → talk → it
“We’ve exchanged a couple of words,” Bobrovksy said, smiling.
asserted
Bobrovksy → exchange → words
They come from a strong hockey culture.
asserted
They → come → culture
They’re going to make this team stronger, for sure.”
asserted
team → go → ?
Most of the Leafs have been skating together informally at the Ford Performance Centre — captain’s skates, they’re called — since early August.
asserted
they → skate → August
And if they haven’t been skating here, they’ve been doing so elsewhere to prepare for a training camp that is just 12 days long.
asserted
that → skate → camp
That’s five fewer than usual under the new memorandum of understanding added to the collective bargaining agreement.
asserted
That → ’ → agreement
A longer 84-game season awaits, with the Leafs opener earlier than ever, Sept. 29 against Montreal.
asserted
season → await → Montreal
For a team like the Leafs with so many new faces to incorporate into the lineup, on top of a new coaching staff and management group, that could pose a challenge.
uncertain
that → incorporate → challenge
“The biggest thing is to go around, get out of your shell a little bit, talk to everyone,” Paul said.
asserted
Paul → go → everyone
“There’s a lot of different personalities when it comes to the makeup of a hockey team.
asserted
it → ’ → team
You just feel those out.”
asserted
You → feel → those
On top of the daily skates and some golf, the players had an NFL fantasy draft, and there have been dinners out with wives and girlfriends getting to know each other as well.
asserted
wives → have → other
“It’s all about how we build the chemistry,” Bobrovsky said.
asserted
Bobrovsky → ’ → chemistry
“And how we build belief inside the locker room, and get together, go through challenges, and get closer together.”
asserted
we → build → challenges
“Everyone has been working out all summer anyway, so no one is coming to camp out of shape,” Paul said.
asserted
Paul → work → shape
It’s more about getting the group together, getting the chemistry going.”
asserted
chemistry → ’ → group
Captain Auston Matthews was among the first to greet the new players, but he was not alone.
asserted
he → greet → players
John Tavares has taken in rookie Gavin McKenna.
asserted
Tavares → take → McKenna
William Nylander has let fellow Swede Emil Andrae in on his favourite Toronto eateries.
asserted
Nylander → let → eateries
“They’ve been welcoming,” Raddysh said.
asserted
Raddysh → say → ?
“It’s been fun these last couple of weeks, everyone getting into town.
asserted
everyone → get → town
Everyone is excited and getting ready for the season.
asserted
Everyone → get → season
Everyone is working hard and making sure we’re doing the right things.”
Other new faces include forwards Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Jack Roslovic and Brandon Duhaime, to be led by new coach Jim Hiller with all the changes overseen by new GM John Chayka and senior executive adviser Mats Sundin.
“There’s been a ton of changes as far as what they’ve tried to implement,” Leafs legend Wendel Clark said.
asserted
Clark → work → what
“It’s a great time for our management to put their rules down, how they want to see the team play, how they want the to hang out, how they want them to carry themselves.
asserted
them → ’ → themselves
“With it being a ton of new players, it’s easier to get everybody on the same page because they’re going to do it as one.
asserted
they → ’ → one
It’s not new management coming into the same group of guys and trying to change them.
asserted
management → ’ → them
Let’s see where we can go with it.”
asserted
we → see → it
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