From sleepovers to leading his team in scoring, Tyler Toffoli is living his best life this year. It just happens to be on a team that is in last place overall in the NHL and recently went an entire month without a win.
Not that he’s complaining.
When asked what it’s like to be the old guy on a rebuilding San Jose Sharks team that has its future sewn up in rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, the 32-year-old laughed.
“I think we’ve said it all season long — we have a lot of fun in here,” Toffoli said after a recent win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. “It’s one of those things where it sucks to lose. But then you come to the rink and hang out outside the rink, for the most part we’re always together. It’s fun.”
It’s fun for Toffoli, because despite the team’s struggles he is having what looks like yet another career-type year.
With 24 goals in 63 games, Toffoli is once again leading his team in goal-scoring. If it stays that way, it will be the fourth time in his career — having previously led the Kings, Canadiens and Flames in goals — that he’s finished as the team leader in that category.
“I think it’s just one of those things where I personally felt very confident that past few seasons,” said Toffoli, who has 43 points in 63 games. “Being able to play with some really good players obviously helps. It’s just one of those things where I try to get open.”
The chemistry that Toffoli has forged with Celebrini and Smith extends well beyond the rink. During a recent bus ride from Toronto to Buffalo, a wager was made that if Toffoli, Celebrini and Smith all scored in the same game that the three of them would bunk together in the same hotel room.
“Out of no where, (Smith) is like ‘If all three of score tomorrow, you’re sleeping over,” said Toffoli, who initially balked at the idea of crashing with his teammates. “I’m like, ‘Will, I’m not sleeping over. I’m 32 years old. That doesn’t happen anymore.’
“Long story short, we end up playing really well in Buffalo and I score the empty-net goal with 30-, 40-seconds left, whatever it was. As soon as it went in, I went to the bench and I was laughing. I didn’t even realize that all three of us had scored.
“Will was like, ‘Sleepover! Sleepover!”
“I’m like, ‘What are you talking about? It’s not happening.’ And then we end up getting on the plane after the game and my coach came up to me and was like, ‘You have to sleep over, you know that, right?’ I’m like, Oh God, here we go.”
Indeed, that led to a hilarious Instagram post where Toffoli was on a roll-away cot next to Smith and Celebrini, with Celebrini remarking that he “Slept like a baby.”
Toffoli, who signed a four-year contract with the Sharks last summer, could have more sleepovers in his future. Based on the way that Celebrini and Smith have been playing — they have combined for 32 goals and 81 points — don’t be surprised if the wins start coming as well.
“It’s tough, but it’s one of those things where we have a lot of talent in here and we have guys that want to win,” said Toffoli. “There’s never any give. Even if we’re not having a good night, we’re going to come back and keep fighting — whether that’s the same night or the next game, we bounce back and we try to pull things together.”
