One day after his team gave up six goals in a loss to the Blue Jackets. Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe says there will be “less tolerance” for defensive mistakes, according to David Alter of Sports Illustrated.
Keefe followed that up by announcing that centre David Kämpf would be a healthy scratch for Saturday’s game against Carolina as an example of that new focus. His position will be filled by Pontus Holmberg.
The Maple Leafs’ game against Carolina can be seen on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Toronto goalie Ilya Samsonov allowed those six goals on 21 shots in Friday’s loss, prompting Keefe to say after the game: “It’s the NHL. We need saves.”
But the head coach did not let his skaters off the hook, adding: “Mistakes get magnified when you don’t get saves,” Keefe told reporters at Nationwide Arena.
Veteran Martin Jones will start in goal for Toronto on Saturday.