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The Toronto Maple Leafs kick off the postseason against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night. But the biggest question arguably is how their lineup could stack up for the opening contest.
Will coach Sheldon Keefe reunite Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, or will Keefe keep Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi on the top line with Matthews?
After the season’s last two games, Keefe would do well to keep the Bertuzzi-Matthews-Domi line together. The trio clicked after Marner missed more than 10 games with an ankle injury. Before Marner’s return, the trio produced 45 points in 13 games.
Keeping the Bertuzzi-Matthews-Domi trio allows Keefe to roll out a more offensively gifted second line. The line features captain John Tavares with wingers Marner and rookie Matthew Knies. Knies is a talented rookie, while Tavares and Marner make a potent one-two punch.
As for the bottom-six, Keefe may consider Nick Robertson and William Nylander on the wings, with Pontus Holmberg down the middle. However, don’t be surprised if revelation Bobby McMann bumps Robertson when he returns from injury.
Lastly, the checking line is a combination of defensive specialty and sandpaper. Shutdown center David Kampf could center deadline additions, Connor Dewar and Ryan Reaves. Thanks to his leadership and snarl, Reaves, especially, will be key.
Here's a look at the projected forward lines for the Toronto Maple Leafs:
Bertuzzi – Matthews – Domi
Knies – Tavares – Marner
Robertson – Holmberg – Nylander
Dewar – Kampf – Reaves
Toronto Maple Leafs solid on the blue line
As for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ blue, the defense pairings look solid. The top pairing features top D-man Morgan Rielly. Riding with him is Ilya Lyubushkin. “Boosh” gives Rielly a defense-first partner, allowing him to join the rush as much as possible.
The shutdown pair features pleasant surprises, like Simon Benoit and workhorse Jake McCabe. This duo has shown they can throw their weight around while keeping the front of the net clear. There won’t be much offense, but they are a reliable pair coach Keefe can go to in any situation.
The third pair should feature deadline acquisition, Joel Edmundson and Timothy Liljegren. Edmunson offers a towering, physical presence, while Liljegren has shown to be a solid puck-moving defenseman.
Keep an eye on TJ Brodie and Mark Giordano, who should slide into the lineup, particularly as third-pairing options.
Lastly, Ilya Samsonov should be the starter in goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since bouncing back from the AHL, Samsonov has looked solid, standing on his head at times. His backup is expected to be Joseph Woll, but he’s sometimes looked a bit shaky since returning from injury.
Overall, the Leafs lineup looks solid, but question marks still surround the core’s ability to succeed in the playoffs. A first-round win against their arch-rivals would go a long way toward dispelling the Leafs’ reputation as playoff underperformers.
