The Toronto Maple Leafs may have a dearth of right-handed defencemen, but the Toronto Marlies certainly don’t.
Vincent LoVerde dripped with sweat as he glided off the Ricoh Coliseum ice towards the locker room. A notable observation, considering the recently concluded practice session lasted only 30 minutes.
Still, the sweat served a purpose.
On a balmy Wednesday morning, Sheldon Keefe ensured that his team’s final practice prior to their second-round meeting with the Syracuse Crunch was a noticeably high tempo one. Hard work is but one the few ways this group can hope to stimy a Syracuse team who’s entering Toronto fresh off sweeping the Rochester Americans in 3 games.
In fact, the Crunch pumped Rochester to the tune of 18 goals against, overwhelming them with unmatched speed and skill. And like the Marlies, the Crunch’s success runs directly through the talent of their young stars.
It’s no secret that the Marlies boast a locker room littered with youth. Of the 23 players named to their postseason roster, 13 celebrate birthdays which fall after 1994.
To steer the bus, Keefe installed a leadership core within the room comprised of five veterans with varying degrees of experience. Featuring a combination of Ben Smith, Colin Greening, Chris Mueller, Rich Clune, and LoVerde, the quintet served as stoic compliments to their youthful teammates, culminating in largely positive results.
With the postseason now in full swing, the concept of veteran presence has become even more precious a commodity than ever before. And while those five veterans certainly fit that bill, only one holds the right to plaster “Calder Cup Champion” on the front page of his resume.
In the most literal sense, LoVerde has “been there” before.
Experience
LoVerde exhibits a quality I refer to as “Roman Polak syndrome”. And no, it has nothing to do with on-ice ability.
Earlier this season, a running joke permeated Twitter which centred around the revelation that a grisled Polak was indeed younger than noted wiz-kid Kyle Dubas. Line the two up side-by-side, and Polak could easily pass for Dubas’ father. Or at the very least a young uncle.
One look at LoVerde, and it becomes apparent that he’s cut from a similar cloth.
Sporting a five o’clock shadow regardless of the time, the 28-year-old carries himself with the poise and demeanour of those a decade his senior. Instead, the steady veteran is, in fact, a full four years younger than the perpetually youthful Tyler Bozak.
Now, this is far from a bad thing. Working in his favour, LoVerde’s comparatively young age only succeeds in painting his career accomplishments in a more flattering light.
Not only has he tasted Calder Cup glory already. It was LoVerde who hoisted the chalice before his teammates, having captained the 2015-16 Ontario Reign all the way to the pinnacle of AHL success.
When it comes to experience, you can’t do much better than that.
Playoff Push
Hockey is a sport built on cliches.
Among the most frequently used is an insistence that, once the playoffs begin, the game changes entirely. And while the majority of these cliches lend serious doubts as to their validity, this one is undeniable.
“The pace definitely increases,” agreed LoVerde, speaking with me following Wednesday’s practice while sporting a noticeable shiner under his right eye.
“And I think the details of the game definitely increase. People are much more deliberate in what they do. There are things that – I don’t want to say you can get away from in the regular season -but they’re definitely more pertinent in the playoffs”
If anyone could accurately relay the differences between regular season and postseason hockey, it’s LoVerde. Debuting with the Manchester Monarchs in 2012-13, he’s qualified for the playoffs in each of his 6 AHL seasons.
And with a Cup ring already in possession, LoVerde’s initial taste of championship glory has only fuelled a deeper hunger for more.
“It’s a great feeling, hoisting the cup,” said LoVerde.
“But, to me, the better feeling is handing it off to your teammates after you’ve received it. To see the joy on their faces. For me, being there before, it’s something you yearn for.”
Such a hunger is one his head coach admires in his veteran defender.
“It helps a lot,” relayed Keefe.
“His opinion is valued. He’s not just got a lot of experience. There’s a lot of players out there with a lot of experience who don’t really know what to do with it. With him, he’s got the right demeanour. He can relate to a lot of people in the room. It’s been really nice to have him”
So, if the Marlies hold any hope of capturing the first Calder Cup in franchise history, they’ll need LoVerde’s steady presence on the blueline to carry into the warmer months.
Thankfully, the Chicago native seems primed to do just that.
Next: Hockey Men are Killing Hockey
Remember, LoVerde’s been here before.