Conor Timmins, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jake McCabe have all shifted their position in the lineup.
Conor Timmins, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jake McCabe have all shifted their position in the lineup.
Ahead of their second meeting in as many days with the Buffalo Sabres, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made a handful of adjustments on the blueline at practice on Friday, creating three new defense pairings.
The club's look in practice is different compared to what it has shown since the return of Jake McCabe and most recently against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.
Head coach Craig Berube highlighted the importance of adaptability when managing the club’s defensive pairings during games. Speaking about the recent adjustments, Berube explained the reasoning behind moving players like Oliver Ekman-Larsson back to his natural left side and utilizing McCabe’s familiarity on the right alongside Simon Benoit.
“I think more than anything, we switched them up the last couple of times in-game, putting OEL back on left, McCabe played right here before with Benoit, they’re a good pair, it’s a heavy pair. It’s just moving guys around, just the same as we do up front with the lines at times, mix them up once in a while,” explained Berube.
The Leafs did play the Sabres just five days ago, and as a result, it’s a good idea to keep Buffalo on its toes with a new-look backend.
For starters, Conor Timmins was moved from the third pairing to the first, now playing alongside Morgan Rielly – who remains on the club’s top pair.
"(Timmins) makes a ton of plays. He's a good skater with good offensive instincts and a great shot. As a defense core, we're looking to improve and play really well with whoever it is you're out there with," said Rielly of new d-partner, Timmins.
As a result, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who has been playing alongside Rielly on the top unit, has shifted down to the second pairing with Chris Tanev, who stays on the right side of the blue line in the top four.
Lastly, with Ekman-Larsson shifting down, McCabe was shown playing alongside Simon Benoit, flipping to the right side as the fifth and sixth defensemen. Philippe Myers was skating as the seventh defenseman.
The club is also still awaiting the return of free agent signing Jani Hakanpaa, who remains on injured reserve as he continues to rehab from a knee procedure at the beginning of December.
The defensive adjustment seems to be away for Berube and the Leafs to switch some things around and freshen up the backend. Going down 3-1 against the Sabres on Sunday, Berube and Co. seem focused on finding the right combinations to maintain a more balanced approach and defensive stability this time around.