Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews Impressed with Bobby McMann and Marshall Rifai Amongst Others at Coaching Camp

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September 21, 2024

You understand you are doing one thing nicely when you’ll be able to go away an enduring impression on Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews at coaching camp.

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The 27-year-old ahead skated within the second group of gamers in Toronto’s coaching camp on Friday. Much like Thursday, Matthews was positioned alongside Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies, two gamers he is fairly conversant in.

Within the group had been a number of different gamers, together with NHL-experienced guys in Chris Tanev, Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares. Nevertheless, there have been loads of skaters who hadn’t established themselves on the NHL degree but.

Alex Steeves, Jacob Quillan, and William Villeneuve all come to thoughts. Some are near the NHL, however it’s unlikely any start the season with the Maple Leafs.

But it surely’s at all times fascinating when two teams of gamers go head-to-head like this. You possibly can study rather a lot about who’s shut and who is not. Bobby McMann and Marshall Rifai are two gamers on the cusp, who have already got NHL video games of their again pockets.

McMann extra so, given his run with the Maple Leafs final season the place he scored 15 targets and 9 assists in 56 video games with the membership. Rifai, nevertheless, has solely performed two NHL video games, however he is in search of extra sooner or later.

“I feel Rifai, he is been round for lots of summer season and skating with him rather a lot the final month or so. However he had some video games up with us final 12 months and he works so exhausting. And you may simply see he desires it and simply continues to progress, and I have been fairly impressed with him and simply the best way he performs exhausting on each side of the puck. In order that’s positively one man,” Matthews mentioned on Friday afternoon after day two of coaching camp.

“I feel Bobby McMann’s appeared actually good. You possibly can simply see him and Kniesy (Matthew Knies) are form of related gamers and simply the best way they, how sturdy they’re and massive and the ability set that they must associate with it. So I imply, I feel these are gonna be a few key guys for our crew this 12 months to assist us take steps as nicely.”

McMann and Rifai every have distinctive tales. McMann performed for Colgate College within the NCAA earlier than signing an AHL take care of the Marlies. He labored his approach by way of the ranks there and impressed sufficient to earn a contract with the Maple Leafs.

Rifai performed 4 seasons at Harvard College after which signed an AHL contract with the Marlies in March 2022. He, like McMann, carried out nicely sufficient to get himself a two-year NHL take care of Toronto in July 2023.

McMann is below contract with the Maple Leafs till 2026 (a two-year, $2.7 million deal) whereas Rifai is in Toronto till 2027, after signing a two-year extension in early September.

“They’re each aggressive gamers that skate nicely,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube mentioned on Friday.

“One’s a [defenseman], one’s a ahead, however that is what you discover about them — their means to get in there, battle, and win battles. They’re each sturdy guys and each can transfer.”