'Still gotta play the right way': Maple Leafs set to roll out star-studded top line

The Toronto Maple Leafs are loading up.

Head coach Craig Berube will roll out a star-studded top line of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander against the Dallas Stars on Sportsnet's Wednesday Night Hockey (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT).

The trio has combined for 83 points (38 goals, 55 assists) in 84 games. Their salaries add up to $35.65 million.

But Berube said they can't simply rely on skill to produce scoring opportunities.

"For me, with those guys all being together, it's, 'Don't be too fancy.' You still gotta play the right way, be direct, shoot pucks, get to the net," Berube said.

Matthews, Marner and Nylander came together on a line in the Maple Leafs' last game Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres, which turned into a 5-3 victory.

It was one of the highest-scoring outputs of the season for Toronto as it's struggled to match the offensive consistency of years past with Berube behind the bench.

Berube said he liked what he saw from the Matthews-Marner-Nylander line against the Sabres.

"I threw them all together last game. I thought they were pretty good together, created some opportunities."

Yet despite the highlight-reel potential of a line featuring three All-Stars headed to play on three different teams at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, Berube hopes it sticks within his north-south structure.

"So if somebody's got the puck, the other two guys gotta read off each other and they gotta be at the net," he said.

"Because if they have the puck and they're skating around and doing all this stuff but nobody's at the net and no shots are getting there, it's pretty much useless."

The Maple Leafs sit 21st in the NHL with 92 goals in 31 games — or a little less than three per contest.

With Matthews, Marner and Nylander together, it leaves the team with a projected second line featuring John Tavares at centre in between Matthew Knies and Max Pacioretty.