Yesterday, the Leafs brought out the officials for their all special teams practice. Today, we learned this is a permanent feature of the practices.
You know that person at your job, the one who is always ready to not do something or tell everyone else not to bother? That’s not the Leafs. The Leafs are that other annoying person who is always gung ho all the time, and wants to take everything so seriously they bring referees to training camp.
Or have a tournament.
In a fun twist, #Leafs will be doing five scrimmages (starting today) that pits Team Matthews vs. Team Andersen throughout the rest of camp.
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) July 15, 2020
Who ya got? pic.twitter.com/bKVhrOoMAw
And will declare an MVP.
The #leafs will even hand out a MVP for the Phase 3 scrimmages. Summer training camp Conn Smythe. https://t.co/X6B5Cq9y5H
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 15, 2020
They used a goal horn, played music in all the stoppages, just like a real game, and they played it (decently) seriously. How do I know? Because Toronto Star reporter Kevin McGran streamed most of it, and I watched because, well, why not?
You can still watch it:
— Kevin McGran (@kevin_mcgran) July 15, 2020
Teams are tied 1-1 early after Kasperi Kapanen intercepts a pass and takes off to tee up Alex Kerfoot pic.twitter.com/sEMWfQOiBL
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) July 15, 2020
There were a lot of goals, and that’s partly because Andersen and Campbell swapped out with Kaskisuo and Woll at the half. But there were also a lot of AHL goal-scorers.
🎯 👀 Teemu#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/FweyUbkwtT
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 15, 2020
🚨 Rosen roofs it on the penalty shot#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/wdY8ztM6B6
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 15, 2020
And in the end Team All the Forwards LOST to team Andersen and Some Guys:
Game 1 FINAL: Team Andersen 6, Team Matthews 5.
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) July 15, 2020
Jake Muzzin had the game-winner with 17.3 seconds left pic.twitter.com/m1w0Wn8ipW
Official goal scorers:
Team Andersen - Kerfoot, Gauthier, Rosen, Robertson, Petan, Muzzin
Team Matthews - Marner, Hyman (x2), Kivihalme, Brooks
And yes, I know you want to see Robertson or Brooks score, not Jake Muzzin.
I got this:
Nick Robertson hauled down on a scoring chance. Dubas throws his arm up to call a penalty from the stands.
— Justin Cuthbert (@jccuthbert) July 15, 2020
But I don’t have any Robertson goal video.
But so far Hyman is the front-runner for MVP.
Update: under the heading of NHL gonna NHL...
The #leafs were told by the NHL they couldn't continue using officials during training camp, according to Sheldon Keefe.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 15, 2020
Word is other teams complained.