Leafs Make Significant Changes to Forward Group Ahead of Clash With Dallas

After the Leafs fell behind 2-0 and 3-1 to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, Craig Berube shuffled his forward group in a major way. He chose to load up the Leafs' top line with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, while dropping Matthew Knies down to play with John Tavares and Max Pacioretty.

The change of lines appeared to work as Tavares netted a natural hat-trick, including the empty-net goal to seal the 5-3 victory for the Leafs. In shuffling his top-six, Berube also created a new third line that impressed him with Bobby McMann, Max Domi and Nicholas Robertson.

Domi managed to score his first goal of the season and first since Game 2 against the Boston Bruins in the playoffs last year. Robertson also scored and the line combined for six points.

The Leafs also welcomed back David Kampf to full practice on Tuesday, with the Czech center taking line rushes in his usual fourth-line spot. Kampf has been out with a lower-body injury since mid-November.

The addition of Kampf to line rushes led to Pontus Holmberg and Connor Dewar skating as extras and the Leafs assigning Fraser Minten to the Toronto Marlies.

With a $35M top line, it will be interesting to see just how long Berube chooses to keep all of his fire power together against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. With Anthony Stolarz out for the next 4-to-6 weeks, the Leafs will likely turn to Joseph Woll for Wednesday's showdown in the hopes that a high-powered top line, more balanced middle-six and stable goaltending will help slow down the high-flying Dallas Stars.