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Maple Leafs’ Quick Hits: Samsonov & Kallgren, Logo & Keefe’s Spin

As the Toronto Maple Leafs begin the season, what news is coming out of the training camp? How good is this team going to be?

In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs’ Quick Hits, I’ll take a look at some of the news out of Day Two of the team’s training camp. First, I will look at goalie deployment for the first few preseason games. Second, I’ll look at the new NHL rule that corporate logos can find their way onto NHL player jerseys. Finally, I’ll look at what Maple Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe thinks about this season’s team.

Related: Maple Leafs Quick Hits: Murray vs. Samsonov, Engvall & Liljegren

Quick Hit One: Goalie Deployment Announced for First Preseason Games

Sports Illustrated‘s Maple Leafs’ reporter David Alter shared a number of notes from Day Two of the team’s training camp. One note he released was about the deployment of goalies over the team’s first three preseason games. Today Maple Leafs’ head coach announced his plan to play Ilya Samsonov and Erik Kallgren in Saturday’s double-header against the Ottawa Senators.

Each goalie will play 40 minutes in each of the two games. Matt Murray is set to make his first preseason start on Wednesday.

Quick Hit Two: First Team Corporate – Milk

It was a long time coming, but there’s a new rule in the NHL this season. Not that it will be like wearing an SHL jersey in Sweden, as the George Laroque photo shows below. However, this season the Maple Leafs will have a corporate logo on the players’ uniforms.

For the first time ever, there can be ads on player jerseys. Interestingly, the first-ever opportunity for corporate sponsorship on Maple Leafs’ jerseys will be granted to the Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s “Milk” logo. What do the Maple Leafs’ players think of that?

When Jordie Benn was asked about his opinion on jersey ads: “I really don’t care, I like milk. Now it’s on my jersey, I guess.”

Quick Hit Three: Sheldon Keefe Likes What He Has This Season

What does Maple Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe think about his new team this close to the start of the preseason? He likes it. Keefe reported to the media during yesterday’s session that he was pleased with the depth the general manager Kyle Dubas had provided for his team.

Kyle Dubas Sheldon Keefe Toronto Maple Leafs
Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe are hoping this season is the one where the team goes on a long postseason run.

Keefe noted positively that “This is the most depth and options I have had coming into a camp in terms of what it might look like. I am excited to see that play out. I like what we have available to us.”

So does Keefe mean what he says or is this just early season spin? As a fan, one has to hope that the Maple Leafs’ head coach is being genuine. But more to the point, fans have to hope that his positive prognostications turn into on-ice success.

Might there be any chance the team could be even better than last season?

It would get hard to believe that the team’s franchise records in terms of wins and 115 total points might be in jeopardy. But who knows? Even more to the point, can this iteration of the Maple team translate its success into the postseason? That will be the real test.

Related: Maple Leafs Early Line Matchups Raise 8 Questions

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