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But in the case of Maple Leafs 诲别蹿别苍肠别尘补苍听T.J. Brodie, that’s not how coach Sheldon Keefe sees it. Brodie will sit out his second game in a row Saturday, along with an聽ailing Ilya Lyubushkin, when the Edmonton Oilers visit.聽Keefe frames it as a mental break for Brodie.

鈥淏rodie is a better player than he’s played,鈥� Keefe said. 鈥淎nd he’s also played better hockey than the perception might be. He’s a guy that’s taking on the hardest minutes and hardest matchups of anybody on our team and still finding ways to be on the positive side (of plus-minus, at plus-14).

鈥淲e and he acknowledged that he could be better and we need him at his best. So if we had to take a step back in order for that to be the case, then that’s what we’ll do.鈥�

It’s almost as if Brodie is the late-season defensive equivalent of goalie Ilya Samsonov, who took time away from the team to reset his game earlier this year. That worked. The Leafs are hoping similar treatment聽鈥� an option available because the team has depth on the blue line聽鈥� will work with Brodie.

Brodie’s father, Jay, died just before training camp opened and his wife, Amber, has multiple sclerosis.

鈥淗e’s had a tough go of it right from the beginning of training camp all the way through,鈥� Keefe said. 鈥淎nd because of the demands that we put on him, he hasn’t really had time to breathe and regroup and find himself.

鈥�(We’ll) give him the time that he needs to get back to being himself because he’s a very important piece of our team. When he’s at his best, he’s as good a defender as we have. Reliable and consistent. We’ve got to get him to that.鈥�

In Philadelphia, old-school coach John Tortorella has been scratching veterans left and right, trying to wake a team out of its slumber as it pursues a playoff spot. The Leafs, perhaps because they’re safely into the post-season, can be more genteel about scratching veterans.

Still, there’s a truism coaches will share: They’ll never scratch a player for playing too good.

Notes from Friday’s practice: Mitch Marner (high ankle sprain) didn’t skate, but he had skated Wednesday and Thursday聽鈥� Tyler Bertuzzi missed practice due to the flu and is unlikely to play Saturday.

To the Mailbag. Yes, it’s been a while. Sorry for that. But here we go. And remember, if you have a question, email me at askkevinmcgran@gmail.com and I’ll answer it in the next Mailbag.

Who starts in goal in Game 1?

鈥擯aul I., Rochester, N.Y.

Quick and to the point. Love the question. The answer, though, is more nuanced. The best and healthiest goalie will start Game 1 (across the board for every team). No need to declare it now. My guess for the Leafs: Ilya Samsonov. But who starts Game 2?

Hi Kevin. It鈥檚 nice seeing Ilya Samsonov playing better and Joseph Woll healthy. But what do you see as the goaltending plan beyond this year? Is another year of Samsonov too risky? Is Woll ready for full-time duty? It鈥檚 obviously not Martin Jones or Dennis Hildeby.

鈥擡li, Montreal

I think part of the answer will come from performance in the playoffs. I think the Leafs’ best case scenario is Woll is the No. 1 next year, but his injury issues make that iffy. Going with both again is not the worst idea.

And watch out for Matt Murray. I could see him getting the third-goalie deal Jones had this season. He’s serious about coming back. He had his biggest workout yet with the team Friday, working with the skills squad and special teams for about a half-hour before the formal practice began.

鈥淕reat sign,鈥� Keefe said. 鈥淟ooks like he’s moving well. Obviously a long ways away from being an option for games or anything like that, but it seems like the work that he’s put in and the recovery that he’s had has served him well.”

Hey Uncle Kevin. The trade deadline is now past; did the Buds do enough? I realize there’s not much left in the cupboard聽鈥� thanks, Kyle Dubas 鈥� but I was half-expecting to see someone perhaps moved out, for example Nick Robertson, for a player of potential impact. Nick鈥檚 comments recently suggest that he may not have been totally against the idea if he was able to get more ice time. I still don鈥檛 believe we are where we need to be to go deep given the potential first-round opponent: Boston or Florida.

鈥擩ohn L., Kingston

I like what GM Brad Treliving did. He added around the edges at a low cost. The Leafs are deeper and should be able to kill penalties. It’s not his style to remake the team at the deadline. He basically put it on this group to show him what they can do. As for Robertson, there aren’t a lot of teams willing to give up impact players for him. He might have fetched a second-round pick.

Read all your articles, always find them insightful. You mentioned you “love many of the rules of the PWHL, including the 3-2-1-0 points format and the prison-break short-handed goal that ends the penalty. Absolutely love the idea of the top team at season’s end choosing their first-round opponent.” I do, too. Do you think there would ever be an appetite in the NHL to adopt one or any of these rules?

鈥擬arie S.

Thanks, Marie. I hope so. I think the 3-2-1-0 system (for wins-OT wins-OT losses-losses) makes the most sense. As does the prison break. These are changes that don’t change the game but maybe add some offence. Imagine being tied late in a game, but needing three points in the playoff race.

I keep hearing that there is an appeal of the suspension of all the Canadian players that were on the 2018 world junior team from any involvement with any Hockey Canada-sanctioned event. Who initiated the appeal and who is the appeal to? And it would seem that the process should be expedited now that there is international hockey scheduled for next year and one player for sure would be a lock for Canada and possibly two. Any updates?

鈥擟raig M.

Nothing new on that front. Hockey Canada won’t say who filed the appeal. I imagine it will be settled by the time 4 Nations Face-Off occurs next year. Among the players who were on that 2018 team and currently subject to the ban, Cale Makar and Robert Thomas would get strong consideration for the Canadian team.