TORONTO — Maybe a well-rested Max Pacioretty can unlock things?
As well as the Toronto Maple Leafs have been rolling their lines this season, there is one unit of more concern than others.
Auston Matthews’ top unit is winning shifts regularly. The BMW Line has formed fast chemistry and generates high-danger chances aplenty. And Craig Berube has already established more trust with his fourth unit than his predecessor ever did.
But the third unit of John Tavares centering Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg has been decidedly underwhelming — getting outshot 7-3, outscored 1-0, and generating just 22.6 per cent of expected goals when on the ice together.
That group was also the target of Berube’s strongly worded wakeup-call timeout during Wednesday’s win over the Kings.
So, it makes sense that the coach is making an adjustment for Monday’s divisional tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Pacioretty re-enters the middle six and the second power-play unit, after sitting eight days as a healthy scratch.
Berube chalks up the decision as wanting fresh legs, but he needs more from the Tavares line.
“I think that we haven’t gotten a real makeup yet with Johnny being sick,” Berube said.
Holmberg had an impressive camp but has looked a step behind since. And Robertson, who was arguably the Leafs’ pre-season MVP, is still hunting his first point of the real season.
The fulcrum of that unit, though, is the 34-year-old Tavares, whose battle through last week’s bout of bad health may have been understated.
The centreman lost eight pounds and some jump.
He admitted Monday that he’s just now getting back into the swing of things.
“It was a real difficult illness I had there for a few days. So, take some time to kind of rev things back up this week,” said Tavares, who believes a couple of days off at home will be of benefit. “I need to get back into the rhythm.”
The success of his line depends on it.
Best two lines in hockey?
The game within the game may be Tampa and Toronto’s battle for top-line supremacy.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more impressive 2024-25 forward trio outside of tonight’s matchup.
Matthews’ line with Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies draws the hardest matchup nightly and has still outscored its opposition 4-0 and generated 64 per cent of the shots at even-strength through 52:45 of playing time.
Tampa’s all-star trio of Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov is outscoring its foes to the tune of 6-1 while generating 53 per cent of shots.
“This team knows how to win, for one. Their top line is as good as it gets,” Berube said. “We gotta be hard on their skill tonight.”
Hot off his Art Ross victory and his first 100-assist season, Kucherov is now leading the NHL in goals (seven) and even-strength goals (six).
“Helluva player, right? I mean, he plays the game at his own pace,” says Chris Tanev. “He’ll slow it down; he’ll speed it up. We can’t let him dictate and control the game. We got to try to take time and space away from him.”
Marner sees no flaws in the other guys’ right winger.
“He’s got, really, everything. That line is very dangerous. Lot of skill on it. A lot of speed. Make a lot of dangerous plays. A lot of times they have nothing really to make, and they make one,” Marner says. “You want to try to make them play defence.”
Ditto.
Tanev won’t let a ‘dead leg’ keep him out
Eastern-time-zone Canadian hockey fans unaccustomed to staying up for the late game got a taste of the Tanev experience Saturday night.
The puck-eating defenceman threw his body in the line of some unfriendly Mika Zibanejad power-play fire during the Rangers’ 4-1 victory and hobbled off the ice, unable to put weight on his right leg.
As painful as the scene appeared, it came as no surprise to see Tanev rejoin the home bench for the following period.
“That was a very difficult thing to watch,” winger Matthew Knies said. “He’s a warrior, so that was good to see him back.”
Added goalie Anthony Stolarz: “I know I feel it with my goalie pads on sometimes, so I can’t imagine what that feels like. Definitely a brave guy to do that night in and night out.”
Tanev — who has racked up 797 games playing one way — brushes off the pain as part of the gig.
“If you’re out there, you’re expected to do your job and play well,” Tanev said. “I mean, that’s sort of the hockey mindset, things that hockey players do.”
One-Timers: Joseph Woll (groin) could “possibly” make his season debut Tuesday in Columbus, according to Berube…. The head coach had a couple of one-on-one conversations with Nylander during morning skate. “I talk to Willy daily about just little things and things he can do better defensively and without the puck,” Berube said. “Just trying to get him better in certain areas, like a lot of players.”… As if going head-to-head versus Igor Shesterkin wasn’t tough enough, Toronto starter Anthony Stolarz gets to face Andrei Vasilevskiy next…. Ryan Reaves will be scratched for a second time this season.
Maple Leafs projected lineup Monday vs. Lightning:
Knies – Matthews – Marner
McMann – Domi – Nylander
Pacioretty – Tavares – Robertson
Lorentz – Kämpf – Holmberg
Rielly – Tanev
Ekman-Larsson – McCabe
Benoit – Timmins
Stolarz starts
Hildeby