The Maple Leafs split Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner from the top line for the first time this season.
The Maple Leafs split Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner from the top line for the first time this season.
Auston Matthews will have William Nylander on his right side for the first time this season when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.
Mitch Marner has struggled as of late with just three assists in his last seven games and the club hopes that the shifting of players could create a different dynamic for matchups.
But the process of how the news is delivered can be a fascinating one, particularly to Marner who could have perceived this as demotion.
Keefe was asked about the process when the change occurred on Monday before the team's practice and how the players found out about it.
"It’s way less of an ordeal as you would want to make it," Keefe replied. "I just post the lines. (I) check in with the guys and let them know, after the fact and that’s it."
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTj1pUtauo4[/embed]
Matthews has also struggled to find the back of the over the last seven games (one goal, two assists) and the change to have Nylander join him could help all involved.
The star forward also didn't reveal too much about the process.
"Each situation varies and all of that stuff is internal," Matthews said following practice on Monday.
Toronto has just five regulation wins this season and entered Tuesday's game against the Panthers sitting in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. Offense is not the only issue the club has been having as the defense and goaltending have also had their fair share of moments this season.
Switching Marner to the second line when the offense hasn't been there and has helped the Maple Leafs slide out of early-season funks over the last couple of seasons. This strategy makes sense.
Although Marner has struggled, he still leads the club in 5-on-5 points this season with 13.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp2dkP5-4ng[/embed]
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