Up-and-down Leafs aim for higher level of competitiveness The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to get back on track against the 30th-place Kings Thursday after “not playing” to their “capabilities” Tuesday against the 27th-place Sharks as their three-game road trip through California continues, Mark Masters writes.

TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on the Maple Leafs, who practised on Wednesday at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, Calif., ahead of Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

After three impressive wins last week against Tampa Bay, Florida and Vancouver, the Maple Leafs came crashing back to earth on Tuesday night in San Jose losing 5-2 to the 27th-place Sharks.

"We've had way too many of those nights like last night," said head coach Sheldon Keefe. "I mean, we don't want to just say, ‘Hey, we put together three pretty good games last week and it's just a one off,’ there’s been other times when we've looked like that and one of the bigger issues is that when we've looked bad, we've been really bad."

Right from the start, the Leafs seemed a bit off in San Jose despite having arrived in northern California on Sunday and holding a full practice on Monday.

"Last night in the first eight or nine minutes we were getting outshot 11-1 and out-chanced significantly, that’s unacceptable and we’re capable of better than that," said Keefe.

The Sharks took control in the second period out-attempting the Leafs 28-8 in five-on-five play. Despite that, Toronto actually won the period 2-1 and was in a good position to steal the game in the third.

What was missing?

"Our competitiveness," said winger William Nylander, who was on the ice for a pair of goals against. "I mean, it's that part of our game that we need to learn, to find out how to get back in those kind[s] of games where we're not playing to our capabilities."

Wednesday featured some honest dialogue about why this keeps happening. Keefe noted it's been going on for months.

"We tried to touch on some things today in the room and figure out why when we're off, we're off," said defenceman Jake Muzzin, who's sidelined with a broken hand. "We tried to touch on some things today about that and, you know, not let our game slip like that. That's between us in there, though."

The Leafs endured some ugly defeats in the lead up to the trade deadline, which prompted general manager Kyle Dubas to label his team a "Jekyll and Hyde" group.

"We're capable of putting together a level of competitiveness and work ethic and structure every day to make sure that it doesn't go south to that degree," said Keefe. "Any time that our backs are against the wall and we need to push back, our guys have responded really well to that. But we need that to be the standard and that's what we’re working towards."

Muzzin has previously said the Leafs have a tendency to rely too much on their high skill level and look for an easier game. The players know their best level is very high, but sometimes that creates a false sense of security.

"It gives us confidence, for sure, and perhaps it can be a bit of a crutch for us to say, 'Hey, once we get to the playoffs we're going to be able to do that,’ but we’re not in the playoffs yet," said Keefe. "We have to earn our way there. Also, we want to get our game to a level where that’s just the standard, that’s what we’re capable of. We don’t want to be responding to anything that’s happening, we want to be dictating it and we want to be confident when we come to the arena every day about what we're going to be and bring that particular day."

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Jack Campbell, who allowed four goals on 37 shots in San Jose, won't get the chance to face his old team on Thursday night. Instead, Frederik Andersen gets the call against the Kings. Campbell, who spent four years in Los Angeles, will play on Friday against the Ducks.

"The biggest thought process for us, first of all, is we wanted to get Jack into two of the three games this week," Keefe explained. "So that, to me, trumps anything in terms of him playing against his former team or anything like that. And then, also, Fred's our starting goaltender and it just makes sense for him. He didn't play last night, full practice day today and he goes in and plays a game rather than him playing on a back-to-back. He deserves that. This time of the year, especially, we have to make those right decisions."

Andersen is 8-1-2 with a .930 save percentage against Los Angeles.

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Ilya Mikheyev, who's out until late March as he recovers from a wrist injury, skated alongside John Tavares and Nylander at practice. Alex Kerfoot, who was in that spot last night, moved to centre on the third line with Kyle Clifford and Kasperi Kapanen. Keefe is undecided on how the Tavares line will look on Thursday.

"Part of why we put Mikheyev there is we didn't have any real solutions today and we didn't want to waste our time debating that," the coach revealed. "But, also, with Mikheyev we want him to get more reps, more game-like reps out of the practice and it’s harder to do that when you're the extra forward. We knew we weren't going to go long today so if we didn’t have him on a line he wouldn’t have got much out if it."

Wednesday's on-ice workout lasted 25 minutes.

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Drew Doughty is eager to face Clifford tomorrow night. The pair were teammates for nearly a decade, winning a pair of championships during that run.

"I know what he's all about," the Kings defenceman said. "I played with him for so long. I know what he's going to do out there so I'm going to have fun with it. Obviously, you see him as like the big, tough guy, you know, guy who's going to rock other guys so I'll try to get him, get him once."

The showdown against his hometown team, the Leafs, always gets the London, Ont., native fired up. The fact that Clifford, Muzzin and Campbell have all switched to Toronto's colours via trade has only stoked those fires.

"I want to beat them, obviously, especially now that those three guys are on that team," Doughty said. "I want to beat them even more (to) have bragging rights over the summer."

Doughty can focus on bragging rights, because the Kings aren't in a playoff race. Los Angeles, once a powerhouse, is now 30th in the NHL. How hard is it being patient?

"It's very hard," Doughty admits, "but the position I'm in I got to try to stay positive every day, as hard as it is. It's coming to the rink trying to have fun, trying to help guys get better and help myself get better. It's a difficult process, but I'm in the position I'm in so I have to make the best of it, just try to get better every day both as a team and individually."

Los Angeles has been stockpiling draft picks as general manager Rob Blake fills up the prospect pool. A top pick would certainly accelerate the rebuild so April's draft lottery will be a big focus here. And TSN insider Pierre LeBrun reports that the Kings are looking at possibly having actor Will Ferrell represent them at the lottery broadcast.

"He was around quite a bit when we were winning the Cups and stuff like that so maybe he can bring a little luck back to the organization," Doughty said.

Hearing that the LA Kings are talking to Will Ferrell about being their representative in the April draft lottery. Not clear it will happen. But I would love it. Stay classy, @LAKings — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 4, 2020

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Campbell may not be playing Thursday, but this is still an emotional trip for him. Los Angeles is where he rediscovered his game and became an established NHL player following some "dark" early days in Dallas.

"I just appreciate guys like, I don't even want to say specific guys, because if I leave someone out I'll feel bad, but so many of the older guys who took me under their wings and helped me believe in myself as a player to turn the page and become a full-time NHL goalie," Campbell said. "I just appreciate the friendships I have there."

One of his closer friends was Doughty.

"He's like over-the-top positive and over-the-top doing things for people," Doughty said. "Jack will do anything for anyone. It almost gets to the point that you're going up to him like, 'Hey, stop doing s--- for people.'"

Doughty's favourite "Soupy" story?

"I had an after party at my house one time so he came over the next morning and he was like, ‘Dewy, thank you so much for having me over at the house,' and he bought me a Gucci tie just because of that after party. Just for having him over for a few beers after the bar he got me a Gucci tie."

"He's just the man," Campbell said with a laugh. "I just thought it looked like him and, it's funny, that’s like his go-to tie. It looks good on him. That's funny he brought that up, but I love that guy. He's awesome."

How good was that after party?

"It was a good time. Drew's a great guy to hang out with so we always had a good time at the rink or away from the rink and those are memories I'll always have."

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Keefe confirmed that rookie defenceman Rasmus Sandin will return to the lineup Thursday after sitting as a healthy scratch in San Jose.

Lines at Wednesday's practice:

Hyman - Matthews - Marner

Nylander - Tavares - Mikheyev

Cifford - Kerfoot - Kapanen

Engvall - Gauthier - Spezza / Malgin

Dermott - Holl

Marincin - Barrie

Rosen / Sandin - Liljegren

Rielly - Ceci

Andersen

Campbell