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Craig Berube Drops Early Hint on Who Will Start Next to Matthews and Knies
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Craig Berube provided clarity on who could be the new Mitch Marner replacement next to Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies in a new interview with The Athletic.
Speaking to Jonas Siegel of 'The Athletic', Berube discussed the Leafs plan next season to replace Mitch Marner on the right wing, although leaving open who will be winning out the spot.
Berube didn't commit to just one player, leaving the likelihood of an open battle heading into training camp and potentially early into the season.
Berube's First Clues on the Maple Leafs' Top Line
Craig Berube spoke on the Leafs first line, giving credibility to forward Max Domi as a player who has worked out in the past with Matthews and could make the most sense together.
Berube went on to add that while Domi has worked with Matthews, he'll need to be a bit less selfish and more of a playmaking option for the pairing to work out.
I think Max has to change just his mindset a little bit, playing with those guys on a consistent basis. It's not always about looking for (Matthews) and finding (Matthews).
It's about Max, him shooting pucks, scoring goals and being that type of player. You can't always just be a one-headed monster. He's gotta evolve a little bit and do other things out there with those guys.
It's about Max, him shooting pucks, scoring goals and being that type of player. You can't always just be a one-headed monster. He's gotta evolve a little bit and do other things out there with those guys.
On another potential option in Matias Maccelli, Berube was open to the idea, but made clear he didn't want to rush the recently acquired forward before building up comfort on the Leafs.
I want him to get his feet under him at camp and get working and understanding how we like to play the game and getting comfortable. It's definitely something that could work, though, so we're thinking about it.
One name that Berube shut down was William Nylander, saying that he felt balance was important between the two lines, indicating he'd likely stay on the second line with John Tavares. Berube did say he'd consider moving Nylander up, but appearing to indicate such as a trial run rather than a Plan A.
Why the Opening Line Combination Matters for Toronto's Season
Toronto will quickly be looking to find a suitable replacement beside Knies and Matthews, and hope the first pairing is the right pairing.
Although Toronto will try a few different ideas, the hope will be that they establish a clear sensible candidate soon and build a chemistry as a line and that the rotation of options isn't something that's a long process to settle.
The newly acquired Maccelli or the longer standing Domi are the two most obvious options, and it'll be hoped one of the two quickly works on that line, and hopefully that the other works on the second line as well.
Toronto can't afford to constantly shift their lines, especially for their top-six, and need a stable group quickly.
Maccelli fits the need for a playmaker next to a 60-goal scorer in Matthews who allows Knies to play more of a physical role, but Domi is someone who has worked with Matthews and has top-six upside, although last season dealt with some inconsistency and needs to show he can the playmaking route.
Figuring out who'll play next to Matthews and Knies quickly is highly important for Toronto to establish their top line early, and avoid spending the season with an uncertainty continuing to billow for long.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 9 | 1010 ANSWERS Craig Berube Drops Early Hint on Who Will Start Next to Matthews and Knies Who is the right player next to Matthews & Knies? | ||
| Max Domi | 323 | 32 % |
| Matias Maccelli | 350 | 34.7 % |
| William Nylander | 172 | 17 % |
| Other | 165 | 16.3 % |
| List of polls | ||