COLUMBUS, Ohio — The presentation was short but sweet.
By the time Dion Phaneuf got to hand Mike Babcock a puck commemorating his first win as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, there was an overwhelming sentiment inside the dressing room that it had been the product of a lot of hard work.
“That’s something that I feel is important,” Phaneuf said after Friday’s 6-3 win over the cratering Columbus Blue Jackets. “The puck’s a special thing.”
For Babcock, it represented his 528th NHL victory — 458 with Detroit, 69 with Anaheim, one with Toronto — but there was a good deal of pride because of the manner in which it came.
The Leafs controlled large stretches of the game against a desperate team also trying for its first victory of the season. They didn’t buckle when the Blue Jackets pushed back, and demonstrated their progression from where they were on opening night.
“I like winning as much as the next guy — maybe more than the next guy actually,” said Babcock. “I’m kind of used to it, too.
“I’m thrilled with the direction we’re going — we’ve got tons of work to do as you know — but it’s always nice to win.”
The most obvious area of improvement is on the defensive side of the puck. The Leafs controlled 55 per cent of shot attempts at even strength against the Blue Jackets and have yet to be outshot through four games.
It may be a modest indicator of progress, but the players who have been here for some time are clearly gaining confidence under Babcock’s system.
Some even suggested that the five-day break between games was even more important than training camp. With fewer bodies around for practices, and a chance to refine what was taught in September, the Leafs now have a clearer idea of how the coach wants them to play.
“It really was a big week for learning our system even that much more,” said Phaneuf. “Tonight we were fresh, we were jumping.”
“We made a big step this week,” added forward Daniel Winnik. “I think the way Mike’s system is if you keep doing the right things (it’ll pay off). We go to the net a lot. That’s where goals are (scored) in this league.”
The scoring was done by committee on Friday night. Defenceman Jake Gardiner erased an early Columbus lead before James van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri made it 3-1 in the second period.
After the Blue Jackets battled back to tie it, Joffrey Lupul took a lovely pass from Phaneuf and outwaited Sergei Bobrovsky for the eventual winner at 4:00 of the third period. Leo Komarov added two insurance markers — one on a partial breakaway and another into an empty net.
While the expectations remain extremely modest for the Maple Leafs, Babcock’s impact on the group will be a storyline all season. As much as some have tired of hearing about the NHL’s first $50-million coach, it’s worth noting that a few veteran players heaped praise his way without prompting.
“I think we’re all excited that he’s at the helm,” said James Reimer, who picked up the win at Nationwide Arena. “We’re really starting to see, I think, a lot of the benefits of what he brings. Hopefully we can keep buying in and keep getting better.”
In stark contrast to the Blue Jackets, who are sounding alarm balls after dropping five games over eight days, Toronto has the luxury of pulling the positives out of a 1-2-1 start. That’s because the organization is more concerned about process than playoffs this season, though spirits were high as players packed up and headed to Pittsburgh ahead of Saturday’s game.
“We’re looking more at the total body of work (than anything else), but it feels much better to get that first ‘W’ for sure,” said Lupul.
