Former Florida rivals are becoming quick friends on the Maple Leafs, and there’s a reason for that - Toronto Star

Sergei Bobrovsky, making a save on Nick Paul in the 2022 playoffs, admits the Florida state rivals “exchanged a couple of words” but he says Paul and former Lightning teammate Darren Raddysh, now Bobrovsky’s teammates in Toronto, will “make this team stronger.” 

Nick Paul and Sergei Bobrovsky are getting along better than they ever have.

Of course, the gritty forward from the Tampa Bay Lightning and the star goaltender from the Florida Panthers are now teammates on the Maple Leafs after having been rivals in the bitter Battle of Florida.

Throw in former Lightning defenceman Darren Raddysh, with his booming slapshot, and three of the most significant additions to a Leafs team hoping to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs are veterans of a Sunshine State rivalry that featured a pre-season game last year with 322 penalty minutes and 16 ejections.

“The Battle of Florida was definitely fun,” Paul said Monday as the Leafs prepared for training camp with a charity golf tournament. “We’ve talked about it.”

“We’ve exchanged a couple of words,” Bobrovksy said, smiling. “The fighting match is not the hockey match. (Paul and Raddysh) are great guys. They come from a strong hockey culture. They’re going to make this team stronger, for sure.”

Most of the Leafs have been skating together informally at the Ford Performance Centre — captain’s skates, they’re called — since early August. Some earlier than that.

And if they haven’t been skating here, they’ve been doing so elsewhere to prepare for a training camp that is just 12 days long. That’s five fewer than usual under the new memorandum of understanding added to the collective bargaining agreement. A longer 84-game season awaits, with the Leafs opener earlier than ever, Sept. 29 against Montreal.

For a team like the Leafs with so many new faces to incorporate into the lineup, on top of a new coaching staff and management group, that could pose a challenge.

“The biggest thing is to go around, get out of your shell a little bit, talk to everyone,” Paul said. “There’s a lot of different personalities when it comes to the makeup of a hockey team. You just feel those out.”

On top of the daily skates and some golf, the players had an NFL fantasy draft, and there have been dinners out with wives and girlfriends getting to know each other as well.

“It’s all about how we build the chemistry,” Bobrovsky said. “And how we build belief inside the locker room, and get together, go through challenges, and get closer together.”

The shorter than normal camp shouldn’t be an issue.

“Everyone has been working out all summer anyway, so no one is coming to camp out of shape,” Paul said. It’s more about getting the group together, getting the chemistry going.”

Captain Auston Matthews was among the first to greet the new players, but he was not alone. John Tavares has taken in rookie Gavin McKenna. William Nylander has let fellow Swede Emil Andrae in on his favourite Toronto eateries.

“They’ve been welcoming,” Raddysh said. “It’s been fun these last couple of weeks, everyone getting into town. The vibe in the locker room has been good. Everyone is excited and getting ready for the season. Everyone is working hard and making sure we’re doing the right things.”

Other new faces include forwards Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Jack Roslovic and Brandon Duhaime, to be led by new coach Jim Hiller with all the changes overseen by new GM John Chayka and senior executive adviser Mats Sundin.

“There’s been a ton of changes as far as what they’ve tried to implement,” Leafs legend Wendel Clark said. “It’s a great time for our management to put their rules down, how they want to see the team play, how they want the to hang out, how they want them to carry themselves.

“With it being a ton of new players, it’s easier to get everybody on the same page because they’re going to do it as one. It’s not new management coming into the same group of guys and trying to change them. Everybody here is ready for change. Let’s see where we can go with it.”

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Kevin McGran is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Bluesky @kevinmcgran