The Leafs forced to make a tough decision with Auston Matthews coming back into the lineup
With the return of Auston Matthews on Saturday night, we knew someone was going to have to come out of the lineup to free up a spot in the lineup.
While many thought that it may be Kyle Clifford coming out due to the stunt he pulled in Thursday's game against the Lightning, it appears as though Sheldon Keefe values having his tough guys back in the lineup against the Panthers in anticipation of another physical battle.
Per Sportsnet's Luke Fox, Jason Spezza will be the odd man out for the Leafs on Saturday, despite scoring a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal against the Flyers on Tuesday and setting up the Leafs' only goal on Thursday in Tampa.
Spezza will likely find his way back into the lineup in a game or two down the stretch just to remain fresh in case he's called upon in the postseason, but at this point, it would appear as though the Leafs have liked the increased level of physicality with Simmonds and Clifford in the lineup. If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on the goons being in the lineup for Game 1.
Spezza is a consummate pro and he understands the tough decisions that the coaching staff has to make. That said, Spezza is a competitor, so if/when he's called upon, he'll be ready to go.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 23 | 324 ANSWERS The Leafs forced to make a tough decision with Auston Matthews coming back into the lineup Who should the Leafs have scratched to make room for Matthews? | ||
| Clifford | 164 | 50.6 % |
| Spezza | 50 | 15.4 % |
| Simmonds | 46 | 14.2 % |
| Other | 64 | 19.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
