Why it’s already time for the Maple Leafs to reunite Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews

BOSTON — A day earlier than Sport 1 in opposition to the Boston Bruins, Sheldon Keefe was requested how simple it was for him to return a wholesome(ish) Max Domi to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ No. 1 line instead of Mitch Marner.

“Very simple,” the Leafs head coach replied. “That call was made weeks in the past.”

Keefe and his workers could need to rethink that call already within the aftermath of a blowout loss in Sport 1 which noticed the Leafs rating solely as soon as on a purpose from David Kämpf. It might be time, that’s, to reunite Marner with Matthews.

Self-discipline and particular groups had been each main issues within the 5-1 loss, however the central query shifting ahead for the Leafs could also be this: How do they create extra offence in opposition to a Bruins group that doesn’t surrender a lot, particularly if William Nylander isn’t round to assist?

The Leafs have scored two or fewer targets in eight straight playoff video games relationship again to final season.

Matthews hasn’t scored in his final six postseason outings. He completed with 5 pictures on 10 makes an attempt in Sport 1. He wasn’t overly harmful, not like he had been throughout a 69-goal common season. He did have the Leafs’ finest likelihood that didn’t end in a purpose, when he fired a shot off the publish after Jeremy Swayman wandered out of the Boston crease.

The Leafs’ No. 1 line was simply OK. Nothing just like the juggernaut it grew to become late within the common season, with outcomes so good that getting it again collectively for Sport 1 was “simple” — not solely when Domi returned from damage however when Marner returned from a excessive ankle sprain a pair weeks earlier than that.

The road was ineffective within the early going particularly. Photographs had been 5-1 for the Bruins when the trio of Domi, Tyler Bertuzzi and Matthews was on the ice within the first interval.

Domi struggled to maintain his feelings in verify proper from puck drop. Jostling with Brad Marchand for positioning on the opening draw, Domi bought a speaking to from referee Gord Dwyer. He finally took two penalties within the recreation, together with a retaliatory slash on Marchand’s hand that preceded the Bruins’ fourth purpose.

Keefe referred to as it an “undisciplined” penalty afterward.

There was little of the Domi who regarded so electrical subsequent to Matthews down the stretch, the one who created superb capturing alternatives for the best shooter on the earth. He appeared a little bit too wound up in his first playoff recreation for the Leafs.

Reconnecting Marner with Matthews although is much less about Domi and extra about Marner and giving that unit as a lot juice as doable to attain. As a result of if the Leafs are going to win this collection, they’re going to wish that line to attain and rating rather a lot, much more so within the absence of Nylander.

Marner represents the most effective likelihood of creating that occur.

He didn’t get on the ice sufficient in Sport 1, a byproduct, partly, of not taking part in with Matthews.

Marner was tied for sixth amongst Leafs forwards in logging simply 10:37 at five-on-five. He performed lower than Matthews (14:49), Bertuzzi (13:37), Domi (13:04), Kämpf (10:52), Calle Järnkrok (10:46) and as a lot as his centre for Sport 1, John Tavares.

Marner averaged 14.5 five-on-five minutes per recreation in the course of the common season. He performed rather a lot lower than regular and that should change in Sport 2.

Taking part in him with Matthews would get him on the ice extra typically and get him reconnected along with his long-time working mate. It grew to become simple to overlook, within the glow of the unlocked chemistry between Matthews and Domi, simply how a lot chemistry Matthews and Marner had for years and years — and never all that way back this season.

They had been actually cooking within the weeks earlier than Marner sprained his ankle in Boston on March 7, with Marner taking part in his finest hockey of the season.

Over a 22-game interval, from Jan. 14 till that March night time when Marner was injured, the Leafs had outscored groups 18-7 when he and Matthews had been on the ice collectively at five-on-five. They received virtually 60 p.c of the anticipated targets.

Matthews scored 51 even-strength targets in the course of the common season. A team-high 21 had been assisted by Marner. No one else on the Leafs was even in double figures. (Domi, by the way in which, solely assisted on 5 of Matthews’ even-strength targets.)

This combo is tried and examined. It’s the Leafs’ bread and butter. It’s time to provide it one other look, if not now then when?

Although they weren’t on the identical line, Marner helped create Matthews’ second-best look of Sport 1 when Keefe caught him on the market with Matthews and Domi for an offensive zone draw late within the first interval. Marner neatly chucked a puck on web from deep, to not rating however somewhat to create a rebound alternative for another person — on this case, Matthews.

That was what Marner hoped the Leafs would do extra typically in Sport 2.

“We gotta be extra direct,” he mentioned.

Throw pucks at Swayman (or Linus Ullmark) from in every single place. “Simply attempt to get our bodies there and attempt to generate a little bit extra from that,” Marner mentioned.

Marner’s line — with Tavares and Matthew Knies — managed to maintain the David Pastrnak crew off the scoreboard within the opener, however they weren’t harmful offensively. Which meant the Leafs actually had just one line threatening for offence.

Which explains why early within the third interval, Keefe started loading up with Matthews, Marner and Tavares for the odd offensive zone draw.

Pairing Marner with Matthews would make the Leafs much more top-heavy, in fact, particularly if Nylander stays out for Sport 2. Nevertheless, the probabilities of that prime unit scoring with Marner round to assist make performs for Matthews will increase.

Within the earlier three postseasons, Marner assisted on 5 of Matthews’ eight even-strength targets.

Keefe might even maintain Domi there on the road with Marner and Matthews. That would depart Bertuzzi to affix Tavares and maybe, if he’s able to return, Nylander.

That lineup would look one thing like this:

Domi – Matthews – Marner
Bertuzzi – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – Holmberg – Järnkrok
Dewar – Kämpf – Reaves

(The Leafs might additionally attempt to maintain Nick Robertson and his potential for offence within the lineup in the event that they wished.)

Nylander’s standing for Sport 2 is a thriller at this level. With or with out him, the Leafs are going to wish Matthews and Marner to supply and produce rather a lot.

Getting them again collectively would be the Leafs’ finest likelihood to make that occur.

— Stats and analysis courtesy of Pure Stat Trick and Hockey Reference

(Photograph: Steve Babineau / NHLI through Getty Pictures)