Bold Move at Leafs' Practice: What's Behind Oliver Ekman-Larsson's Position Swap in Toronto

Much of the discussion coming out of Leafs' practice on Friday was about the line combinations and how top prospect Easton Cowan and recent waiver claim Sammy Blais rotated in through line rushes.

Typically, extra forwards don't rotate through line rushes as frequently as the duo did, which led to speculation that one or both could make their Leafs debut on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.

However, one subtle shift on the blueline was overlooked.

For Wednesday's game against the Montreal Canadiens, Oliver Ekman-Larsson lined up on the left side on the third defensive pairing with Simon Benoit.

The move seemed to pay off as the duo was very good throughout the game, with the pairing finished as an even plus-minus and notching six hits.

Following practice, Leafs coach Craig Berube explained his reasoning for the change.

It would appear that Berube made the switch to help Benoit get back up to speed after missing most of training camp with an upper-body injury.

The 27-year-old spent most of last season on the left side, so he is clearly comfortable there, and moving back gives him the opportunity to get his feet under him without having to make any major adjustments. For OEL, playing on the right is also familiar, having played there last season.