Hyman aims to raise shooting percentage Toronto winger feeling very much at ease despite all the chatter about his place on Toronto’s top line, Mark Masters writes.

TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Maple Leafs skated in two groups at the MasterCard Centre on Wednesday.

- Zach Hyman only scored six even-strength goals last season despite playing all 82 regular-season games with Auston Matthews. He converted on just 6.4 per cent of his 156 shots. The average shooting percentage in the NHL last season was 9.2 per cent. So, Hyman worked hard in the summer in the hopes of improving that area of his game.

“I focused on shooting a lot and being able to bury my chances,” he said. “I think a lot of it is getting your shot off quick.”

Entering his second full NHL season, the 25-year-old is feeling very much at ease despite all the chatter about his place on Toronto’s top line.

“Really comfortable,” he said. “I’m playing with the same linemates as last year so obviously we’re familiar and we get along well and have good chemistry.”

As a Toronto boy, Hyman has a good grasp of just how Leafs-crazed the city can be.

“When you go to school as a kid you talk about the Leafs and how the game went last night,” Hyman recalled.

So, he completely understands why there’s been lots of discussion about his role in the lineup. Tyler Bozak can certainly relate to what Hyman’s going through as his spot alongside Phil Kessel was questioned quite a bit earlier in his career.

"You know what, I didn't look into it much," Bozak said. "Everyone has an opinion about where you should play, but the only ones that matter are in the room and with staff and management."

As for Hyman’s current situation, Bozak wonders what all the fuss is about.

“I don’t understand why someone would want to split up something that’s working,” he said. “It’s hard to find chemistry and once you find it it’s something you want to stick with … Zach is the perfect guy for that line. He gets to the net. He gets the puck to those guys. He works extremely hard and complements them really well. Hyman’s a guy who’s going to win a lot of battles in the corner. He’s going to go to the dirty areas and create a lot of space for those guys. He’ll get to the front of the net and whenever you have a net presence you can let those two those guys work on the sides and get their shots.”

- Hyman’s hand sustained some cuts courtesy a Monday fight with Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher.

"There's a line and I thought that he crossed it with the hit. I didn't like it and stuff happens," Hyman said after that game.

It was the second tussle of Hyman’s young NHL career. After his first one, in the preseason last year in Detroit against Brendan Smith, Hyman sought out advice from Matt Martin.

“I didn’t really know how to fight and he said, ‘Make sure you always look at the guy, because if you turn away you don’t know where the punches are coming from.’ That was a cool tip that stuck with me.”

- Martin Marincin will be in the lineup Wednesday night in Quebec City as he continues his push for a roster spot. He’s been paired with players projected to be on the Marlies all camp long and that will be no different against the Habs when he lines up alongside Justin Holl.

The soft-spoken Slovak doesn’t do a ton of interviews, but on Wednesday morning he met with a small group of reporters and shared some insight on his mindset. “I’m feeling okay,” he said. “I don’t put any pressure on myself. I try to be relaxed and play hard.”

Marincin, a big fan of UFC star Conor McGregor, revealed that he incorporated mixed martial arts into his summer training for the first time. “It’s good for your body,” he said. “You can work on your whole body.”

Babcock has often said Marincin’s confidence is a key issue. So, how’s he feeling in that regard right now? “I’m feeling better than last year, but still working on that,” Marincin admitted.