UNIONDALE, N.Y. — John Tavares was glad to give the spotlight to another Maple Leaf coming back for a big game at Nassau Coliseum.
While Tavares will likely get an earful again Wednesday night from fans who still haven’t gotten over him leaving to sign with the Leafs last year, the club is more concerned with how Zach Hyman does in his first game since major knee surgery last spring.
“Getting his feet wet, getting involved, that will bring a big boost to our team,” Tavares said of his linemate after Toronto’s optional skate. “Having him back is great for our locker room, great for me because we had a lot of success and good chemistry.”
Tavares scored 47 goals in 2018-19, while right winger Mitch Marner led the team in points. Marner is out a month with a sprained ankle, replaced for now by Kasperi Kapanen.
Hyman wryly noted he picked quite the night to return, with an already hostile environment of Nassau Coliseum amped further by Tavares’s third game here.
“It’s better to get thrown in the fire and get going,” Hyman said. “They’re a really good team, they’re on quite a run (10-0-1). Playing in this building is a little different when we come to town, given John’s history. I’m curious to see what happens with (the crowd).”
If he named everyone on the medical staff who helped him come back from the surgery, Hyman would’ve missed the start of the game.
“Too many,” laughed Hyman, but he took a stab and listed department head Rich Rotenberg, therapist Paul Ayotte, strength coaches Jon Geller, Louis Rojas and Mark Cesari, massage therapists Todd Bean and Amit Sindhwani, and nutritionist Margaret Hughes.
“I think I saw everybody in there, so I have to thank everybody for getting me back to where I am, physically and mentally (namely Dr. Meg Popovic).”
Hyman guessed he’s read up on every major athlete who’d had ACL surgery and also tapped teammate Morgan Rielly who had a knee operation as a junior and one-time Leaf Frank Corrado.
“(Corrado) gave me a scoop on what I’d go through. It was excruciating pain after surgery. You’re taking a piece of the bone and making a patella graft. I’ve watched a lot of hockey, been around the guys practising and I feel I’m ready.”
The Islanders are on a run of 10-0-1 and are well rested in the midst of a long home stand. Ex-Leaf forward Leo Komarov has been activated off IR, though Matt Martin has not, while Semyon Varlamov gets the nod in net as Isles’ coach Barry Trotz rotates with Thomas Griess.
“They picked up right where they left off last year and they’re on a great win streak,” Tavares noted of his old team. “We have to be at our best tonight. We have to understand their attention to detail and that they use all four lines.”
Frederik Andersen starts in net for Toronto with a record 7-1-1 against the Isles and a .910 save percentage.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
