William Nylander and Max Domi Take Maintenance Day: Craig Berube's Physical Style Taking Its Toll?
Craig Berube announced both Max Domi and William Nylander skipped practice for a 'maintenance day'. Is the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach overworking his players?
A lot of hype surrounded how Craig Berube's hiring would change the landscape of the Toronto Maple Leafs. A polar shift from Sheldon Keefe, Berube instills grit, toughness, and a hard-nosed mentality that has led to success in his career.
But with the copious amount of injuries that the Maple Leafs have had over recent weeks, including an upper-body injury that has sidelined Auston Matthews for the last week, and now have Max Pacioretty on the IR for several weeks due to an injury suffered on Saturday.
There were also two other faces missing from practice on Monday as NHL Insider Mark Masters reported via his X account that the Maple Leafs held Max Domi and William Nylander off the ice for a 'maintenance day':
Craig Berube's Style Is Slowly Harming The Maple Leafs
A maintenance day, whatever that means is presumed to be a day off. It could be a reward as it's a deserved break from the hard work they've put in over the last week during their three-game win streak. Or maybe, it's a sign Craig Berube is pushing them a bit too hard.
We don't know the exact extent of Matthews' injury but if Berube wants him more defensive and contributing more in other ways, his propensity for getting injured is heightened. Pacioretty was fighting for position and got tangled up with Michael Matheson and fell awkwardly, something Berube would ask of his players; get involved.
If Berube is pushing his players to play too aggressively for the sake of instilling grit, it's hurting them; literally. One can appreciate an old-school approach to the modern game, but with how fast the game currently is, it leads to a higher risk of injuries if you go barreling in for a hit and then miss. You're going to get hurt.
It's good to know that Domi and Nylander are just getting a day off and there's nothing serious, as both men have been great this year. Nylander is leading the league in goals, and Domi has found new life on the top line in Matthews' absence.
Let's just hope that Craig Berube can 'maintain' his roster a bit more so he doesn't end up losing more players in the future.
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