Radio hosts call out pair of Leafs star forwards, suggest huge lineup change
Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have openly admitted they have struggled lately to find any sort of chemistry and have been called out by Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe the past few games for not producing enough. Over his last seven games, Matthews has just three points and none of them have been at 5-on-5, while Marner also has three points over his last seven with just one of them being at 5-on-5.
On a Saturday night episode of "Leaf Talk", Sportsnet TheFAN590 radio hosts JD Bunkis and Sam McKee discussed the recent play of Matthews and Marner and made a very bold statement about them playing together.
Although Bunkis agrees that the Leafs need more from Matthews and Marner, he does raise a very good point about breaking up the Leafs top line and what that could do to what has been their best line of late, Tyler Bertuzzi, John Tavares and William Nylander.
Personally, I am on the side of Bunkis just because it is better to have one line that is working than having none. Maybe it isn't Matthews and Marner, but rather their left winger and rookie Matthew Knies that has thrown off their chemistry. Knies is still navigating his way through his rookie season and even though he has been good at times, he still has lots to learn and as Nick Kypreos mentioned late last week, could be overwhelmed right now.
The issue with moving Knies off of their line is that the Keefe would likely replace him with Calle Jarnkrok, who has been part of a very successful and productive third line with Max Domi and Nick Robertson. It puts Keefe in the difficult position of leaving the lines together and hope that Matthews, Marner and Knies figure things out, or disrupt two other lines that are producing. At the quarter mark of the season, without Matthews and Marner clicking, the latter option may be the best thing to do. With the Leafs back at practice today following a day off yesterday, it will be interesting to see if Keefe makes any changes ahead of their Tuesday night clash with the Florida Panthers.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 27 | 300 ANSWERS Radio hosts call out pair of Leafs star forwards, suggest huge lineup change Should the Leafs separate Matthews and Marner? | ||
| Yes - should have happened weeks ago | 173 | 57.7 % |
| No - can't change the second line | 61 | 20.3 % |
| Give it a couple more games | 66 | 22 % |
| List of polls | ||
