Head coach Sheldon Keefe spoke about the lineup switch.
“It’s a combination of giving some other guys an opportunity and that opportunity presents itself because we haven’t liked how the fourth line has looked or played,” Keefe said. “It’s a different mix right now with (Arseny) Gritsyuk being out. We need a little more from that line and our depth in general. Timing is right in that sense to give these guys a look.”
Return of the Mac
It’s been a tough season for Marc McLaughlin. He was injured during preseason action and started the year in a rehab stint. That stint would take five months before he was healthy enough to get back into game action, which he did in Utica.
Now, after getting 21 games under his belt in the AHL, he’s been elevated to the NHL and will play tonight against Montreal.
“This is probably the happiest I’ve been for a callup in a while. It feels rewarding with the injury,” McLaughlin said. “I’m grateful. I love this group. I’m happy to be up here and be a part of it. Hopefully get some wins.”
It was a long road to his return, but McLaughlin gave most of the props to those who helped him along the way.
“First off, I want to point out the medical staff, training staff and skills coaches did a great job getting me back,” he said. “It was a long five months. I was just so grateful to get back to Utica, grateful to get back on the ice. That makes it that much more rewarding to be back up there.”
McLaughlin oddly has a lot of familiarity with the group in New Jersey. He conducted most of his rehab stint in Newark, so it was almost a coming home. But this time it’ll be nice preparing for a game instead of his rehab work.
“Whenever you’re injured, the mental part is the biggest part,” he said. “Every day feels like Groundhog Day coming in. Every day you try to take a little step forward, that’s all it really is day by day. I’m happy with where I’m at now.”
It took him some time upon his return, but McLaughlin had six goals and 13 points for the Comets prior to the recall. And he was really coming into his own game.
“We’ve been playing really well down there,” he said. “The coaching staff down there does a great job. Guys down there are easy to play with; they make it easy for you. They made the transition coming back smooth for me.”
Mining Coal
Montreal’s Cole Caulfield has a team-best 49 goals on the season and is one shy of hitting the 50-goal mark for the first time in his career. Keefe, who coached against Caulfield a lot during his time behind the bench in Toronto, spoke about his attributes.
“He’s a tremendous player and really feeling it right now,” he said. “He has an ability to get the puck on and off his stick, create shots for himself, beat goalies clean. It’s impressive. Their team is playing really well as a group. He’s a guy that when they get on offense and have the puck a bunch, he’s a trigger guy that can finish plays.”
