When Lou Lamoriello ran the New Jersey Devils, he insisted his players be clean shaven.

Given the number of three-day beards at the Maple Leafs’ annual golf tournament Monday, no such edict has been given — yet — from the new general manager of the Maple Leafs.

“He hasn’t said anything,” said Daniel Winnik, rubbing his beard a bit nervously.

“That’s not even a thought right now,” Lamoriello said of the beard question. “For me, the most important thing is the personnel, and who are we and all that. I think you’ve got to put the right things in perspective first. The most important thing is: who are we as a team? And who are we as players? And what can we expect? And what can we do? That’s the main focus, nothing else.”

Lamoriello took a second after that.

“I have more questions than answers,” he said. “I really wish I had more answers.”

These questions will begin to be answered starting Thursday, when training camp opens at the MasterCard Centre before moving for three days to Halifax.

“From meeting Lou and speaking with him, I’m really excited to be working for him,” said Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf. “He’s been around the game for a long time. He’s got a lot of experience. He’s won.

“He’s going to bring that experience and his knowledge and put his blueprint on this team. I’m sure there’s going to be a meeting at the start of the year to say how he wants the team to be run. We’re going to abide by that.”

The biggest question is who will make up the 23-man roster by the time training camp ends. The Leafs, of course, will have the likes of prospects Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen in camp fighting for spots.

The team has promised a patient approach with their youngsters and it didn’t sound as if Lamoriello was going to vary from that plan.

“You are always going to play the best players,” said Lamoriello. “But I’ve always said a young player really tells you when he’s ready. You don’t really tell him. He has to have something special.

If not, you’re doing an injustice, not only to him but to the organization. Only time will tell. You never say never to anything. In my opinion, it’s very difficult for a young player today, as an 18-year-old, to make the team.

Lamoriello has also invited a number of veterans including Devin Setoguchi, Brad Boyes and Curtis Glencross to camp on tryouts, where they’ll have a chance to oust players who already have contracts.

“They’re going to have show that they belong or they can play,” said Lamoriello. “Really, you have an opportunity to compare them with the people you have. For me, more importantly, they push the people you have as far as competition.”

Given he was just hired in the summer — after the draft and the trade of Phil Kessel — it’s a little early for Lamoriello to have made an impact on the Maple Leafs.

But it’s coming. He will address the team in camp.

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“I don’t think that’s something I would discuss right now,” said Lamoriello. “It would be something that comes from the heart and, more importantly, my thoughts on what I think how players should act both on and off the ice, and the commitment that has to be given as far as accountability.”

He pointed out that he didn’t start off with a no-beards edict in New Jersey; it evolved over time. And the Leafs’ identity, too, will evolve over time.

“You approach it realistically,” said Lamoriello. “We have a lot of players from different organization. Mike Babcock is coming from Detroit. I’m coming from New Jersey. There are Toronto players who were here. There are new additions. You have a different culture. You don’t come in and try to establish something off the bat, you have to get the best of what we have with the people we have and let it take care of itself.”

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