Maple Leafs prospects take a lesson from horse play at development camp

Edmonton Journal

2 days ago

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Named captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League on the eve of the season, Chadwick, the Leafs' sixth-round pick in 2023, gladly accepted the increased responsibility.
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'It's interesting being put into that role, and it was awesome for me,' Chadwick said. 'I grew a lot as a person, and had to be vocal and challenge our players and hold them accountable, as well as myself.
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'It allowed me to care for everyone a little bit more, to see more out of my teammates as humans, and to take that step toward understanding what everyone's going through on and off the ice.'
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The 6-foot-4, 207-pound Chadwick will take a run at cracking the Marlies roster in the fall. He's what the Leafs like in their defencemen, as general manager Brad Treliving says, big and long.
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Chadwick's point of contact with the Leafs last season was player development staff member Jake Muzzin. Chadwick took the chats and guidance from Muzzin, a Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings and as rugged and as steady as anyone on an NHL blue line, to heart.
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'That was fantastic,' Chadwick said. 'Brilliant mind and great to work with him.
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'One of his strengths when he played was his ability to think the game well, and I think that's probably my biggest strength as well. From that side, we sort talked and exchanged a lot of ideas and gained a better understanding of what to do in certain situations. Being a little harder, being more physical on guys and having a calmness about me on the ice and just being patient with certain things (was an area of concentration).'
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A GOOD BEGINNING
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Luke Haymes had a solid start to his professional hockey career, recording six points (two goals and four assists) in nine games with the Marlies after joining the club on an amateur tryout.
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The 21-year-old forward, a native of Ottawa, signed a two-year pact with the Leafs at the same time.
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The switch to the American Hockey League came after Haymes spent three seasons at Dartmouth College.
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'Pace, skating,' Haymes said of the biggest difference. 'Guys are more efficient (in the AHL). Pace-wise, guys are just a lot smarter than where I was in college. Playing with those guys who move the puck a lot faster, it's more efficient, tape-to-tape.'
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The Leafs have identified the areas they would like to see Haymes evolve.
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'He has the opportunity to make an offensive impact,' Wickenheiser said. 'The aspects of physicality and being able to be a good defensive, reliable forward (are key).'
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Haymes had a unique welcome-to-the-AHL moment during his first Marlies practice.
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'I made a backdoor play on (goalie) Matt Murray, and he didn't like that too much,' Haymes said. 'It was a tough play for him. Goalies don't the backdoor stuff, in practice especially.'