Craig Berube Addresses the Elephant in the Room Regarding Leafs Captain Auston Matthews
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
With Mitch Marner now in Vegas, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube has addressed the elephant in the room regarding Auston Matthews and how things will change.
It's anyone's guess right now how the Leafs will fare without Mitch Marner in the lineup every night. A versatile player during the regular season, Marner was a key figure for the Leafs at 5v5, on the penalty kill, on the power play, and was also one of their best defensive forwards.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has made no qualms about losing Marner and what it will mean for the team, calling the Markham, Ontario native "irreplaceable".
However, the show must go on, and now the Leafs are entering a bit of a transition period where they'll have to try to figure out how to best operate without one of their key players from their Atlantic Division champion squad.
The player most likely to be impacted negatively by the departure of Marner is, without question, Auston Matthews.
Matthews had Marner riding shotgun on the top line throughout much of their tenures in Toronto, but now, according to Berube, Matthews' game might have to change a little bit due to the loss of one of the best puck distributors in the game.
It might have to... I don't know if his game has to change that much, but one scenario you can think about is that he might have to do more for himself with the puck in the offensive zone at times - hang onto it a little longer. He won't have that give-and-go chemistry he had with Mitch. We don't have a Mitch Marner looking for him all the time to make the play to him.
He might have to adjust a little bit that way, but other than that, his game and what he does without the puck defensively doesn't have to change for me. In the offensive zone, he is going to have to find some chemistry with another player.
He might have to adjust a little bit that way, but other than that, his game and what he does without the puck defensively doesn't have to change for me. In the offensive zone, he is going to have to find some chemistry with another player.
Matthews has enjoyed a tremendous amount of individual success playing with Marner over the years, including two 60-plus goal seasons, a Hart Trophy, and three Rocket Richard Trophies.
There has been some speculation about Max Domi perhaps saddling up next to Matthews as the next best puck distributor on the team to the departed Marner. Matias Maccelli and William Nylander represent two other options for that spot.
The Leafs are also reportedly contemplating bringing in Jack Roslovic to fill that role, though they have some competition for the UFA forward with Vancouver and Carolina still sniffing around.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 12 | 2162 ANSWERS Craig Berube Addresses the Elephant in the Room Regarding Leafs Captain Auston Matthews Do you think Auston Matthews will take a step back offensively without Mitch Marner? | ||
| Yes | 976 | 45.1 % |
| No | 1186 | 54.9 % |
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