In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs’ Quick Hits, I’ll look at three members of the organization. Jason Spezza is a senior member. This season, he ended his playing career and took a job in “management.”
Matthew Knies is one of the Maple Leafs’ young prospects. He’s not quite ready for the NHL. And, Adam Gaudette is a forward the team picked up during the offseason. He’s hoping to reprise his career in Toronto.
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Quick Hit One: Great to See Jason Spezza Work with Young Skaters
Obviously, there’s a place in player development for Jason Spezza. It was good to see him during the Maple Leafs’ development camp working with young prospects. It just seems like an ideal place for him to be.
I remember him, over the past three seasons with the team. If this is an indication of his attitude and work ethic, player development is one area in which Spezza would excel. One can only hope that his post-playing career is as solid as his NHL career.
It’s likely Spezza will continue to show the same dedication to helping other young players as he did when he was playing. He seemed to spend countless hours working with players like Nick Robertson on their game after the rest of the team hit the showers.
Veterans like Spezza and Mark Giordano are helping the team they loved when they were kids. Such moves by the Maple Leafs with players like Spezza and Giordano could wiil be a positive next season.
Quick Hit Two: Matthew Knies Involved in Some Serious Instruction
One thing that came out of the development camp was the level of direct – very direct – instruction that’s given to players. It is specific, to the point, and presented directly, over and over again it would seem.
A case in point is something Matthew Knies said as the media interviewed him. As he was leaving the development camp, as seen below in this tweet, he was quoted: “I think I can be a better skater, same with shooting and stride. Shooting under my feet, that was something that they harped on me for”
I found the quote revealing. It suggests that there is some “harping at,” which suggests regular and repeated teaching. Also interesting that Knies didn’t seem to mind presenting his side of the story – as in what it felt like from a player’s perspective.
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Quick Hit Three: Was Adam Gaudette Rushed to the NHL too Quickly?
The Adam Gaudette I saw when he was a young player with the Vancouver Canucks had plenty of talent. He made rookie mistakes. But, he was also fast, seemed to have a high hockey IQ, and could finish if he had the chance. It struck me odd that the Canucks would let him go. It struck me odder that he didn’t catch on anywhere else.
I hope he has a great season with the Maple Leafs. He could. Gaudette had great success in NCAA collegiate hockey playing three seasons at Northeastern University. There he scored 68 goals and added 74 assists (for 142 points) in 116 games. He won the Hobey Baker winner as the best US Collegiate Hockey Player in 2018.
He was chosen in the fifth-round pick (149th overall) by the Canucks in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. After starting the 2018-19 season with the AHL’s Utica Comets, he quickly jumped to the Canucks. He spent the rest of the season in Vancouver. In 56 games, he scored five goals and added seven assists (for twelve points).
The following season he scored 12 goals and added 21 assists (for 33 points) in 59 games. Then he began to slide. The following season he scored four goals and three assists for seven points in 33 games before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.
He was put on waivers there and landed in Ottawa with the Senators. He wasn’t tendered a qualifying offer.
He hasn’t been the same since those first seasons in Vancouver. It could be a stomach issue that made him unable to eat and gain strength; however, it could be too that he just needed more time to prepare in the minors.
We’ll see with the Maple Leafs this season if his game is back.
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