With a full offseason left ahead of them, the Toronto Maple Leafs have quite a bit of work to do. Inevitably there will be twists and turns throughout the offseason, not to mention the various events and deadlines that shape the summer of the NHL. There will be player movement ahead, though to what extent remains to be seen.
Another unknown is how the Leafs’ new head coach Craig Berube will alter the team’s approach. Even before the roster is set there are issues with the Leafs. While speculations will ebb and flow until the season begins, there are already some defined questions that Berube and his assistants will be tasked with answering.
What to do with the core four?
While there are certainly arguments that the Leafs’ core four should not be returned in full this coming season, to this point they remain on the team. Naturally, given the allocated resources, how to deploy these four forwards is a major question facing the Leafs’ next head coach. For most of the Sheldon Keefe era, Auston Matthews centred Mitch Marner while John Tavares centred William Nylander. During the Mike Babcock era, it was Matthews with Nylander and Tavares with Marner.
Ultimately either configuration remains an option, and many across Leaf Nation will have their preference under this premise. This deployment (and its cost) has made the Leafs a two-tier team when it comes to their forward group. This hard split between top and bottom six forwards has left the Leafs struggling to find a strong identity in their bottom six. Now, with the core four at their most expensive, it might be worth investigating other options.
Where does John Tavares fit?
Regarded as firmly beyond his prime years, figuring out what to do with Tavares is an obvious starting point. Tavares seemed at his best last season while Bobby McMann was on his wing. McMann was a revelation, and has the speed, physicality, and disposition to do a lot of the legwork for Tavares, and the duo was the foundation of the Leafs’ checking line before McMann was lost to injury late last season. While Tavares might not have the reputation as a checking centre, he might well be the best suited for the job at this point.
This would certainly give the Leafs more depth throughout their top nine forward group. It does, however, leave a hole at second line centre behind Matthews. The Leafs already have some options, as David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok can play centre. Pontus Holmberg might be able to step into a bigger role. Max Domi, if re-signed, can play centre as well, though his services might be best rendered on Matthews’ wing.
There is a chance that Tavares could be moved to the wing. Arguably, this would give Tavares the best chance of increasing his production from last season. Tavares might also be the best linemate the Leafs can give to a Matthews/Marner line as well. This would throw the Leafs’ centre depth further into question, likely requiring some more aggressive manoeuvring.
Can William Nylander play centre?
En route to the NHL Nylander had played centre, yet as a Leafs this has rarely been the case. Even for Team Sweden, Nylander has won World Championship gold and MVP as a centre. Regardless of what happens with Tavares, it will be interesting to see if Berube is inclined to try Nylander down the middle.
Despite the flexibility suggested by his profile, Nylander has only been thrown into the middle during desperate playoff lineup adjustments. Last training camp the Leafs tried the idea, but that changed quickly and without much explanation. Nylander has rounded out his game over the years, but is far from a classic defensive centre. His offensive mindset and star habits might not match Berube’s idea of a centre, but it is an option that might change the Leafs lineup and salary structure in the future.
Will Marner still be glued to Matthews?
Since his injury late in the regular season a lot has changed in how Marner is viewed within the Leafs lineup. Pending UFA Max Domi played some of the best hockey of his career alongside Matthews in Marner’s usual spot. Even if Domi is not re-signed there is no guarantee that Marner will be reunified on Matthews’ line.
It is curious that Marner and Nylander have not shared a line for any significant amount of time over the years. As a duo they would seem to appreciate a linemate willing to get their hands dirty with enthusiasm. Perhaps Marner’s defence would be a great asset to Nylander’s venture as a centre.
What Berube’s past can tell us
Taking a look at Berube’s Stanley Cup winning lineup might offer us some insights into his preferences. Naturally, the players involved will be different, but there are features worth noting. Berube seemed to value having a spark plug on each line, a physical player to accompany skill. Brayden Schenn brought an edge down the middle to Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko. Sammy Blais played on the top line with Ryan O’Reilly and David Perron. Pat Maroon played alongside Tyler Bozak and a young Robert Thomas.
In short, we should probably expect more to Berube’s lineup than loading up a top line. Players will be elevated by their style of play.
How will he try to fix the power play?
Given the team’s long-standing playoff power play struggles, Berube and whichever assistant coach is tasked with the unit will be under heavy scrutiny. That being said, the bar is quite low and there is a lot of talent to work with.
Because of these past struggles, there are many ideas that stand out in the minds of Leaf Nation. Each fan might have their own preferences or possible solutions. Many involve slight changes. Morgan Rielly has long had a tenuous hold of the top defenceman spot as the Leafs have struggled to find a more reliable solution. Perhaps Marner is best suited for the job. There is a sense that the Leafs are lacking a shooting option from the point, particularly in the form of a hard one-timer. None of Marner, Rielly, or pending RFA Timothy Liljegren will be that solution. Perhaps one of Conor Timmins or Nicolas Mattinen can be, but this is an area the Leafs could target from outside the current roster.
The biggest change might involve going to a two-unit power play setup, as the Boston Bruins did this season. This could help feature offensive talents looking to find their way in the NHL, like pending RFA Nicholas Robertson. Having two units might pose difficulties for opponents looking to hone in on shutting down the Leafs’ power play, especially if each unit plays to its strengths.
The youth might get a better shot
One thing we do notice about Berube’s past lineups is that he is willing to trust younger players in roles lower in the lineup. Robert Thomas was a big part of the Blues 3rd line during their Cup win, while Ivan Barbashev was a staple of the bottom six. Perhaps Easton Cowan can make the Leafs next season and have opportunities to earn a spot somewhere in the top nine.
On defence, we saw a similar strategy from the champion Blues, as Berube entrusted Vince Dunn with a 3rd pairing role, occasionally on his weak side to boot. To an extent, there is a willingness for Berube’s trust to be earned by younger players, even on a team with championship aspirations. Berube is not likely to throw young players too high before their time, but the Leafs looking to push their way into the team should feel some hope that they have a path to do so. During his Cup winning season, Berube took over the Blues midseason, quickly turning the team around. In the process, many younger players like Thomas, Dunn, and Oscar Sundqvist were among those who saw their usage increase the most.
In closing
Berube will have his hands full in trying to improve the Leafs. While his Cup ring as a head coach is undoubtedly a key factor in the Leafs’ decision to hire him, his hard-nosed approach is back in style league wide. Berube is not afraid to call out his players and show tough love, something the Leafs clearly value as well. Especially early on, we should expect Berube to enforce his will, to set his standard, and potentially make an example of those who are not fully bought in. Berube will challenge the Leafs, and it will be up to the players to prove themselves in the era of their new head coach.
One Comment