Ever wonder how the Toronto Maple Leafs feel about each other?
Even with the Leafs’ record not where they want it to be, the players themselves remain close and willing to share their thoughts about the people they spend countless hours with.
After last season’s Leafs player poll, we devised a new set of poll questions designed to get a glimpse into team dynamics. The Athletic tallied votes from 20 Leafs total. Some were unavailable because of the Olympic break, others because of injury.
In Part 1, we’re looking at which Leafs teammates players would want joining them on a summer road trip, which Leaf would win in a no-rules fight and who are most and least likely to pick up a cheque.
Which three teammates would you want joining you on a summer road trip?
Last season we asked whom the Leafs would most want to be trapped in an elevator with. They treated the elevator as a space to escape from. This year, we wanted to explore group dynamics through a less precarious scenario: Whom would the Leafs want with them as they hit the sun-soaked highway?
The question reinforced something we knew: The Leafs love Scott Laughton. The prototypical glue guy would log plenty of miles this summer if teammates had their way. Nearly half of players surveyed included Laughton in their group.
“Scotty would keep the vibes light,” Brandon Carlo said. “He’s just funny as s—. Everyone would love to have him.”
Anthony Stolarz chose Laughton, Max Domi and an old Florida Panthers teammate, Steven Lorentz.
“They’re all very outgoing and would definitely make it very entertaining for sure,” Stolarz said.
Troy Stecher arrived in Toronto more recently than any Leaf and still wanted Laughton in his car. Stecher naturally picked Chris Tanev, one of his close friends. But he added Laughton because the forward, along with Jake McCabe, has invited Stecher out for dinners often on the road “and made my life a lot easier,” he said.
If Laughton is in the car, he’s very likely got hold of the tunes, too.
“Laughton would have the music in the car because he has the music in the room,” Lorentz said. “He has a good mix, you know? He’ll do ’80s throwbacks, some rap, some rock ‘n’ roll and of course the Tragically Hip. My kind of music.”
Scott Laughton, center, was a very popular pick for a road-trip buddy. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
Lorentz also picked McCabe and Stolarz.
Rookie Easton Cowan picked Laughton, Domi and Auston Matthews.
“I feel like they all bring different aspects to the summer vacation,” Cowan said. “I feel like Scott’s more serious. And then (Domi) and (Matthews), they’re more laid-back, I find. It would be a good squad to go on vacation.”
If Laughton wasn’t getting votes, his neighbour in the Leafs dressing room was; Domi proved to be a popular teammate for a hypothetical road trip.
“He’s good on the aux,” Bobby McMann said.
Quintessential good guy Morgan Rielly received multiple votes, too. For his own vote, Rielly didn’t just pick his group out of thin air. He said he vacationed with McCabe and Tanev and their families last year, and the trio were “on the same page.”
“(McCabe) is good at researching, and he likes doing stuff and exploring. (Tanev) because he was on that same trip, and I already know I like to travel with them (both),” Rielly said.
Matthew Knies said Rielly would control the music in his car. The parental responsibilities Rielly has at home would extend to this trip.
“He’s got pretty good taste. But he just … wouldn’t let us play the music, that’s why he’d have control,” Knies said.
Joseph Woll nabbed votes for a variety of reasons.
“I think he would bring out a more active side of things that I would be more open to (than) on my own,” Rielly said of the goalie. “I think he would drive some of that. He’s climbed mountains and stuff and gone on hikes, which is not something I do all the time.”
“He’s into the deep conversations,” McMann said of Woll. “That would pass the time pretty good.”
Carlo also included Woll, who travelled to Sedona, Ariz., during the Olympic break, because “he’d know about the outdoor stuff, if we were getting out hiking at all. Also, the interesting conversation. He’s very… deep with his thoughts.”
The always-affable Lorentz got votes from Stolarz and Nicolas Roy. “I feel like he’s a great time,” Roy said.
Finally, there are some relationships that have to be relied upon during the trip.
Calle Järnkrok made a swift choice for his hypothetical trip: “I’d take all the Swedes,” he said, including Dennis Hildeby.
And the new-ish crew of Simon Benoit, Knies, McMann and Woll all largely picked each other, with stunningly similar sentiments.
“That’s my go-to dinner crew,” Benoit said.
“That’s my dinner crew,” Woll echoed, days later.
Which Leaf would win in a no-rules Battle Royal?
The size and physicality throughout the entire team mean most of them could probably hold their own in a cage match against some WWE stars. But what about against each other? If push literally came to shove, which Leaf would win?
No question here: Domi is not to be messed with. Eight of 20 respondents picked the feisty veteran forward.
“Who’s the craziest guy we’ve got?” Rielly asked, voting Domi.
“(Domi’s) a dog,” Matias Maccelli said. “If there’s no rules, I think (Domi) would take on the boys.”
We see Domi’s snarl on the ice, especially playing for the team he grew up cheering for. But there perhaps would be an even more sinister side inside the cage.
“He’s got that switch, you know?” John Tavares said.
“He’s got that bite,” Carlo added. “He could get low; he could do it all.”
Remember, this is a no-rules fight. Like George Costanza, Domi isn’t afraid to fight dirty.
“I’d probably say myself,” Domi said, laughing. “If there’s no rules, I don’t like anyone else’s chances with a pair of scissors in my hand.”
Others who earned votes were McCabe and Stolarz. Anger would be a big part of their repertoire in a brawl.
“He’s huge,” Lorentz said of Stolarz, one of the largest players in the NHL. “And when he gets mad … he gets angry. It would be tough to bring down a guy like that.”
Woll voted for McCabe, calling him a “horse.” Woll wasn’t alone.
“Once those wires cross,” McMann said of McCabe, “he goes full red mode.”
Knies received votes because, according to Stolarz, “the guy is an absolute mutant. I think we’d be top two.”
As per usual, Benoit required context for his answer. “We’ve had this debate before inside the team,” he said. “What’s the scenario? Is it in the forest? Are there 25 guys within 1 kilometre?”
Once Benoit understood the fight, he voted for himself. “I have the knowledge, and I’m feisty enough,” he said.
But perhaps not as feisty as the likely winner, Domi.
Domi has taken a shine to Cowan. And Cowan hopes Domi’s edge has rubbed off on him: “Has anyone chose me?” Cowan asked.
Which Leaf is most and least likely to pick up the cheque?
When the Maple Leafs travel for away games, they likely won’t spend their per diem at greasy spoons. The Leafs, like most professional athletes, have a taste for upscale group dining. Think history-laden steakhouses or buzzy Italian spots with epic portion sizes.
Those nights usually come with one rule: no splitting cheques. Sometimes one player might step up with his good deed of the day and voluntarily pay the entire bill. We needed to find out who was most, and least, likely to pick up the cheque for the Leafs.
We’ll start with Rielly, the man with more games played as a Leaf than any other active skater. The defenceman earned plenty of votes.
“He’s done it the most, so he’s most likely,” McMann said.
“Mo picks up quite a bit,” Laughton said. “Picked up last night, too.”
“He refuses to even play credit card roulette. He just grabs the bill, which I have so much respect for,” another teammate said.
“I like to do it,” Rielly said simply.
Matthews has fulfilled his captain duties by picking up his fair share of meals and received a few votes.
“He’s just good about that, being a leader and whatnot,” Carlo said.
Stolarz called Rielly and Matthews “probably the two most generous” teammates. Laughton voted for himself, but he did receive votes from other Leafs. McCabe, Tanev and Domi also received votes for being most likely to pick up a cheque.
“(Domi) did it at New Year’s with a bunch of us,” Roy said.
Another Leaf voted for himself: “Mo … or me,” Knies said.
Having known Knies for a few years, I had to push back.
“You’re picking up cheques now?” I asked.
“Just one,” Knies said. “But that counts.”
In the eyes of the rest of the Leafs, that does not count. Roy said Knies was least likely to splurge for the team.
“You probably got that one a lot too, eh?” Roy said of Knies as the “least likely” answer.
“(Knies) is a cheap f—,” Laughton added good-naturedly.
For all the heat Knies took, most players pointed in one direction for the Leaf least likely to pick up a cheque: the rookie.
“I’ll go with Cowboy. He shouldn’t be picking up any cheques right now,” Carlo said of Cowan.
“He’s just trying to build the bank account. I don’t blame him,” Tavares added.
It does sound like Cowan’s habits will change.
“Not because he doesn’t want to,” Benoit said. “Because we won’t let him.”