'Who Knows How It's Going To Work Out?': Why Craig Berube Has Thrown The Maple Leafs' Forward Lines Into The Blender

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said on Wednesday he was thinking about putting William Nylander and Auston Matthews together full-time. He did that, and more, a day later at practice, ahead of a game against the Buffalo Sabres.

The lineup was completely thrown into a blender at practice on Thursday. Bobby McMann joined Matthews and Nylander on the top line, while Matthew Knies skated on the second line with John Tavares and Matias Maccelli.

Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy remained together, with Easton Cowan joining them on Toronto's third line. Steven Lorentz, Max Domi, and Calle Jarnkrok made up the fourth line.

Berube was asked after practice if this reset (to which the head coach responded, it's not a reset) can offer an opportunity for the lines to get back to the basics of playing simple hockey.

"I mean, for sure. I mean, it's just something new too for them a little bit. Like, who knows how it's going to work out?" Berube added.

"I mean, it's not like these guys have never played with each other. They have. Willy and Matthews have played together before. (Tavares) and Knies have played together before. Roy and Dakota Joshua have already played (together), Max has played with these guys before, Jarnkrok, whoever.

"I wanted to get Max back in the middle. I just feel like he moves better there, has got more freedom to skate and do this thing. Like I said, all I'm looking for is just consistency, in all four lines."

‘I’m Getting Tired Of It’: Maple Leafs’ Craig Berube Losing Patience Waiting For Chemistry On The Matthews' Line Berube has had a rotating door of wingers on the right side of Auston Matthews, and many more took a turn on Tuesday with no success.

Nylander has practically played alongside Matthews at one point or another during games throughout the early part of this regular season. So it's no surprise to see him alongside Matthews again.

What's more surprising is how long it took us to reach this point.

"Sometimes (the lines changing is) good. I mean, you just get a different feel for linemates, different kind of changes to scenery," Matthews said on Thursday. "So obviously, we'd like to get the offense rolling a little bit, and sometimes a switch-up is kind of a spark you need sometimes."

Focusing a bit on Matthews this season, he has four goals and two assists in seven games. He's yet to beat a goaltender clean with his shot this year, and isn't looking as dominant as he has in the past.

Maple Leafs Lack Offensive Punch And Other Takeaways From Loss To Devils Toronto got the first goal of the game, but New Jersey came back with four second-period goals and eventually defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2.

Could that be because Mitch Marner is not on his wing anymore? I still believe it's way too early to make that judgment call. However, we could get a glimpse of Matthews' goal-scoring again with a playmaker of Nylander's calibre on his line full-time.

Are Marner and Nylander different, though, as playmakers?

"I think they're different players, but the way that they see the game, the way that they skate, their edge work's very similar," Matthews said. "I'd say Willy's more of a shooter in some regards. But just the way that he sees the ice, consistently has the puck on his stick, making plays, is able to kind of fend guys off. I think it's pretty similar in that regard but different in kind of in their own way."

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Berube believes putting Nylander in that position will open up more space for Matthews.

"Auston's a shooter, and Willy's a great playmaker. I think we underestimate his playmaking ability. We know he scores goals too, but I think what it does is, it's a puck transporter up the ice. It's a guy that hangs onto pucks in the offensive zone, and moves and gets separation. To me, that's important."

With each of the four new-look lines, Berube wants results. "I don't have much patience," he laughed.

We'll see how everything will shape out when Toronto rolls into the Key Bank Center in Buffalo, New York, on Friday night for a matchup against the Atlantic Division's fifth-place Sabres.

"Mixing guys up a little bit, it's not a bad thing all the time," Berube said. "Like I said, I like working in pairs, but just like I said, we need more consistency, so that's what I'm looking for."

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