Are the Leafs Ignoring the Obvious? Friedman Drops Clue About Star Duo Shake-Up

When Easton Cowan made his NHL debut on the top line early this week, I'm sure most of us were intrigued by the possibility of a strong start for the rookie forward. However, there were likely a lot of questions surrounding the idea as well.

Through 3 games, Cowan has answered most of those questions, playing a strong two-way game, not shying away from contact, and even producing his first career NHL point in just his second game.

Still, 3 games is a small sample size, and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman is not sold that the Leafs will keep Cowan in that spot with a more proven option readily available.

On a recent episode of The Real Kyper & Bourne Show, Friedman brought up the electric moment between Auston Matthews and William Nylander in overtime against the New York Rangers, with Nylander and Matthews toying with their opponents before the captain potted the game winning goal.

Watching that play had Friedman wondering how long it will be before Craig Berube and Brad Treliving come together to make the call that Matthews and Nylander should be playing together.

The pair have a pretty productive history together, as Nylander was one of Matthews' first consistent linemates in the Core 4 era. They also have a tremendous amount of chemistry with one another, both from playing together at 5v5 in the past and on the power play throughout the last decade.

The departure of Mitch Marner has left the Leafs with a pretty significant hole on that top line, and between Matias Maccelli, Max Domi and Easton Cowan, we have yet to see someone pop off next to Marner the way someone like Nylander can and has in the past.

Granted, Domi hasn't had a consistent run in that spot yet, as the injury to Scott Laughton forced the Leafs to shuffle around their lineup a little bit to avoid a deficiency at center. Still, Friedman seemed to ignore the possibility of Domi filling that role on a consistent basis when he followed up with the idea that a #34 and #88 pair is on its way.

If the Leafs are serious about contending this season, then running their optimal lineup will be a key factor. There's no question that someone like Nylander could produce a whole lot of offense and help drive a line with Auston Matthews.

The swap, though, would leave a significant hole next to John Tavares on the 2nd line. Is that something that Easton Cowan can adequately fill? Will the Leafs pull off a trade for a legitimate top-six forward this season, alleviating any concerns?

There are a lot of questions that need answering, but I do think that placing Nylander next to Matthews is something that the coaching staff should consider this season, as you tend to want your aces in their places if you want to be a real contending team.