Date: November 17, 2025
Source: Toronto Maple Leafs (YouTube)
After Monday’s practice, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube spoke about Troy Stecher’s arrival, injuries down the middle, Easton Cowan’s development, the team’s compete level, and why the entire injured group is traveling with the team. Berube also discussed Philip Myers’ struggles and the timing of Joseph Woll’s return.
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On His First Impressions of Troy Stecher
“Good guy. Solid guy. Character stands out to me. Effort. I thought he had a real good practice today.”
On Stecher’s Edge and Competitiveness
“He plays hard. He’s a compete guy. He competes on everything and plays a pretty simple game.”
Injury Updates: Carlo and Roy
On Carlo: “I don’t have a timeline right now. Out tomorrow.”
On Roy: “Out tomorrow.”
On the nature of Roy’s injury: “Upper body.”
On Being Short at Centre and Calling Up Jacob Quillan
“Quillan will be up here. He doesn’t have a lot of experience, but he’s a second-year pro and he brings skating to our team. He’s competitive and brings some energy.
Listen, we’re down a lot of guys, but he’s got to step up. Next man up mentality and go play.”
On Energy Levels in Practice
“I thought it was a little low early today. Sometimes after a day off that can be the case. But I thought it picked up.”
On Whether Auston Matthews Has Returned to the Ice
“No.”
On Whether Laughton Is an Option
“No, Laughton’s not an option.”
On Philip Myers’ Recent Struggles
“He came in last year in spots for us when we needed him. I think he probably got overextended this year a little bit with the injuries.
He hasn’t played the way he played last year. He just needs to get his game back in order. He’s capable of doing it — we saw it. It’s just been a long stretch for him.”
On Fringe Players Getting Opportunities
“I think we’re getting pretty good play out of these guys. Cowan had a good game in Chicago. Mermis has done a pretty good job since he’s been in. Now we’ve got Quillan.
They’re energized. They want to prove they belong in the NHL. The effort has been there.”
On William Nylander Generating Shots
“I think he’s generated it. Maybe looking to pass a little too much at times. He’s been passing quite a bit all year and has a lot of assists, but we need him to shoot for sure.
The power play needs to shoot. It’s been running on his side and he’s looking to make more plays, but he also needs to shoot.”
On Nick Robertson’s Consistency
“He’s been working extremely hard. He’s more confident than he’s ever been. He’s getting to the front of the net and getting looks.
He missed a couple last game but he’s getting to the inside. He’s always been a hard worker and good skater. The little things he’s doing are paying off.”
On Practice Focus
“A lot of five-on-five stuff — breakouts, coming into D-zone, forecheck. Just wanted that five-on-five play.
We needed to go over some stuff with Stecher, new guy, so he gets familiarity with what we’re doing five-on-five.”
On Compete Drills in Practice
“It’s to get some competitiveness in practice. We did a better job last game of not giving up as much and not spending as much time in our zone.
That’s a big part of it. We’re going to continue to work on it and get better at it.”
On Joseph Woll Providing an Emotional Lift
“They’re all excited he’s back and he’s excited he’s back. I thought he played a good solid game the other night.
The timing is really good. Stolarz is out, so Woll coming back — we need him to play like he did the other night.”
Pulse Takeaway
Berube praised Stecher’s competitiveness, acknowledged the challenges caused by multiple centre injuries, and emphasized the importance of energetic, competitive practices. He voiced confidence in young call-ups like Cowan, Mermis, and Quillan, while urging Nylander to shoot more. With Woll returning and key players still out, the message remains clear: compete, simplify, and keep pushing forward.
Quotes from Craig Berube via Toronto Maple Leafs (YouTube).
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
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