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“From my game to the playoffs, I felt much more confident I could play on that level,” Moore added. “I want to be more explosive out of the corners and things like that. But the game plan is still the same, grind away, win some battles. You don’t want to see teammates get hurt, but it breeds opportunity for guys like us. You have to go right from the start because that might be your best opportunity.”

NIC OF TIME

This past July 24 was surely a dark day for Nic Petan.

Already on the fringe of Toronto’s roster and not utilized in the playoffs, Petan heard of general manager Kyle Dubas adding five budget-price forwards to the Leafs roster in Garrett Wilson, Pontus Aberg, Nick Shore, Tyler Gaudet and Kalle Kossila, on top of Jason Spezza earlier in the month. They came in a variety of sizes and one- or two-way contracts that will further challenge the 5-foot-10 Petan.

He scored once in his five games as a fourth-liner after a trade deadline deal with Winnipeg for Par Lindholm and played just 18 combined contests with both teams.

“I have full confidence that if I get the opportunity to play my game and do what I do, I can produce and hop in the lineup wherever,” Petan said. “I really have nothing to lose here.”

As the Leafs lost in seven games to Boston in the first round, Petan was being bag- skated with the other healthy scratches.

“It was tough, but understandable because I’d come in late,” he said. “As an outside guy, you want to think you could have changed things, but that’s hard to do.”