Maple Leafs Pondering a Major Change in the Top-6 Ahead of the Playoffs
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Ahead of the impending playoff Battle of Ontario between the Maple Leafs and Senators, Toronto is pondering a major change in its top 6.
Hockey fans everywhere are in for a treat, as the opening round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature the Battle of Ontario between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators for the 1st time since 2004.
Ironically, aside from Toronto's Round 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023, their 7-game series win over the Senators in 2004 was their most recent playoff series victory.
Head coach Craig Berube, who was brought in last summer to bring a new level of accountability for a franchise that badly needed it, may be considering a big change in the top-6. The idea? Splitting up the line combination of Max Domi, John Tavares, and William Nylander.
The line combined for a total of 4 points in their victory on Sunday over the Carolina Hurricanes, but then they went pointless in Tuesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres.
What will Berube do for the opening game of the postseason against the Senators? He said there are things that he both liked and didn't like about the aforementioned combination of players.
"There's things I like and there's things that I don't particularly like all the time. For me, it's about them managing the puck more than anything. I think, you know, they've got to understand that hope plays aren't good plays. We need good hockey plays, and if they can get that mindset, that could be a dangerous line.
I mean, I think you have a little bit of everything on that line. But, they did a lot of good things. There's things that they probably can do better, too."
I mean, I think you have a little bit of everything on that line. But, they did a lot of good things. There's things that they probably can do better, too."
The Leafs will take on the Senators in the opening game of their post-season on Sunday. The question is, will the line of Tavares, Nylander and Domi remain intact?
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 18 | 4218 ANSWERS Maple Leafs Pondering a Major Change in the Top-6 Ahead of the Playoffs Should Craig Berube keep the line of William Nylander, Max Domi and John Tavares together? | ||
| Yes | 3432 | 81.4 % |
| No | 786 | 18.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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