Fogelhund
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- Sep 15, 2007
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mapleleafshotstove.com
Any update to share on Nick Robertson?
Keefe: He is going to have an MRI this afternoon, which will give us a better idea of where that is at.
Pierre Engvall has a hearing with league discipline. How does that change your preparation for the game against Calgary?
Keefe: It doesn’t change much other than if he is available, he is available. If he is not, he is not, and we will adjust from there. That is really it. We will let that process play out.
What stands out about Joey Anderson’s game that earned him the call-up?
Keefe: He is a guy that has come up a couple of times over my time here. I think he has done well in a very short window of time. Each time he goes down to the Marlies, he is a true leader for them down there in all facets.
The coaching staff really likes and appreciates his game. He has been productive offensively. He is a hard-working guy. I think it’s just that the timing was right.
The reality is that we have sped things up here given the injury situation. He is a guy we were looking at calling up quite soon anyhow regardless of injuries. We feel that with Järnkork’s injury, there was an opportunity to get him more involved. Things have moved up a little bit there.
It is not necessarily just because of anything that happened last night. He is a guy we have been wanting to get involved here for a while now.
After you made the switch of Nylander and Marner on the top two lines, the team hasn’t lost a game in regulation. Both of those lines have really picked up some steam. Do you legitimately feel like you have two number-one lines that pose an issue for the other team’s coach?
Keefe: I feel that way even when the lines are the other way. I don’t think that is any different. When you are coaching our team or coaching against us, I think that is just how you have to look at it.
The individual players have really found their game. I think that really started to come around even before we made the switch in the lines.
That is really how our team is built. Right now, it is working for us on those lines. If you look at last night’s game, you can’t discount the effort that was put forth by guys on our third and fourth lines as well.
That has been what has been really nice throughout this run here: We are getting production from different people at different times. Our top guys are driving us for sure, but there are a lot of good things happening — whether it is on the scoresheet or not — throughout our lineup.
Michael Bunting is on a good run right now. Do you see anything different in his game after the slow start?
Keefe: A lot of our guys had slow starts, obviously. We’ve talked enough about that. It is a long season. Sometimes, it takes time to find a rhythm and find your game, especially for Bunting, who is a guy who hasn’t been in the league for a long time.
He has had to go through some things mentally where it is a bit of as shift, right? Last season, you are new to the league and no one really knows who you are. You are having all sorts of success, and all of a sudden, you come back and you’re playing alongside the Hart Trophy winner. That line is getting a ton of attention. You’re getting a ton of attention. The officials know exactly who you are. There is all sorts of stuff happening there that takes time to adjust to.
Especially offensively, a lot of good things happening in his game. It really starts with him being really competitive and executing when the puck is on his stick.
It looks like Denis Malgin will get an opportunity on the second line after the injury to Robertson. What are you hoping to see from him?
Keefe: When the puck comes to you, you have to make a play with it, whether that is finishing a chance or scoring a goal or advancing the play and keeping things moving for the line. At the same time, you have to bring some defensive utility. You have to be able to win pucks back and be working on defense.
When you are playing up there — and Robertson himself had some struggles with this — the matchups are entirely different. You have to be able to work without the puck to earn it back to have a chance at some offense yourself and also make sure the line isn’t spending too much time in its own end, isn’t being scored on, and all of those kinds of things.
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Sheldon Keefe on the call-up of Joey Anderson: "He's a guy we were looking to call up quite soon regardless of injuries... He's a true leader for the Marlies in all facets"
After practice on Friday, head coach Sheldon Keefe discussed the call-up of Joey Anderson, Zach Aston-Reese’s physical play, Denis Malgin’s opportunity on the top six after the Robertson injury, and the productivity of the top-six with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on separate lines. Practice...
mapleleafshotstove.com
Sheldon Keefe on the call-up of Joey Anderson: “He’s a guy we were looking to call up quite soon regardless of injuries… He’s a true leader for the Marlies in all facets”
Any update to share on Nick Robertson?
Keefe: He is going to have an MRI this afternoon, which will give us a better idea of where that is at.
Pierre Engvall has a hearing with league discipline. How does that change your preparation for the game against Calgary?
Keefe: It doesn’t change much other than if he is available, he is available. If he is not, he is not, and we will adjust from there. That is really it. We will let that process play out.
What stands out about Joey Anderson’s game that earned him the call-up?
Keefe: He is a guy that has come up a couple of times over my time here. I think he has done well in a very short window of time. Each time he goes down to the Marlies, he is a true leader for them down there in all facets.
The coaching staff really likes and appreciates his game. He has been productive offensively. He is a hard-working guy. I think it’s just that the timing was right.
The reality is that we have sped things up here given the injury situation. He is a guy we were looking at calling up quite soon anyhow regardless of injuries. We feel that with Järnkork’s injury, there was an opportunity to get him more involved. Things have moved up a little bit there.
It is not necessarily just because of anything that happened last night. He is a guy we have been wanting to get involved here for a while now.
After you made the switch of Nylander and Marner on the top two lines, the team hasn’t lost a game in regulation. Both of those lines have really picked up some steam. Do you legitimately feel like you have two number-one lines that pose an issue for the other team’s coach?
Keefe: I feel that way even when the lines are the other way. I don’t think that is any different. When you are coaching our team or coaching against us, I think that is just how you have to look at it.
The individual players have really found their game. I think that really started to come around even before we made the switch in the lines.
That is really how our team is built. Right now, it is working for us on those lines. If you look at last night’s game, you can’t discount the effort that was put forth by guys on our third and fourth lines as well.
That has been what has been really nice throughout this run here: We are getting production from different people at different times. Our top guys are driving us for sure, but there are a lot of good things happening — whether it is on the scoresheet or not — throughout our lineup.
Michael Bunting is on a good run right now. Do you see anything different in his game after the slow start?
Keefe: A lot of our guys had slow starts, obviously. We’ve talked enough about that. It is a long season. Sometimes, it takes time to find a rhythm and find your game, especially for Bunting, who is a guy who hasn’t been in the league for a long time.
He has had to go through some things mentally where it is a bit of as shift, right? Last season, you are new to the league and no one really knows who you are. You are having all sorts of success, and all of a sudden, you come back and you’re playing alongside the Hart Trophy winner. That line is getting a ton of attention. You’re getting a ton of attention. The officials know exactly who you are. There is all sorts of stuff happening there that takes time to adjust to.
Especially offensively, a lot of good things happening in his game. It really starts with him being really competitive and executing when the puck is on his stick.
It looks like Denis Malgin will get an opportunity on the second line after the injury to Robertson. What are you hoping to see from him?
Keefe: When the puck comes to you, you have to make a play with it, whether that is finishing a chance or scoring a goal or advancing the play and keeping things moving for the line. At the same time, you have to bring some defensive utility. You have to be able to win pucks back and be working on defense.
When you are playing up there — and Robertson himself had some struggles with this — the matchups are entirely different. You have to be able to work without the puck to earn it back to have a chance at some offense yourself and also make sure the line isn’t spending too much time in its own end, isn’t being scored on, and all of those kinds of things.
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