Maple Leafs Confirm Lineup vs. the Devils: Craig Berube Makes Key Changes
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
With the Toronto Maple Leafs looking to bounce back from a disappointing 4-3 OT loss, Craig Berube has decided to shake things up ahead of Tuesday's game.
While the City of Toronto is buzzing from the high of the Blue Jays making their first World Series in 32 years, all attention now focuses back (at least temporarily) to the Toronto Maple Leafs and their 2025 regular season.
Off to a decent albeit inconsistent start, they suffered a brutal 4-3 OT loss that saw several defensive lapses, and goaltender Anthony Stolarz getting run into all night; much to his chagrin.
But with the locker room having smoothed things out and everyone focused on what's ahead, are there going to be any sweeping changes?
Craig Berube Makes Notable Adjustments to the Maple Leafs' Forward Lines
From the looks of their lines in practice ahead of their game against New Jersey, it shows Craig Berube is trying to make something happen:
Knies - Matthews - Domi
Maccelli - Tavares - Nylander
Joshua - Roy - McMann
Robertson - Lorentz - Jarnkrok
Maccelli - Tavares - Nylander
Joshua - Roy - McMann
Robertson - Lorentz - Jarnkrok
McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Carlo
Benoit - Ekman-Larsson
Rielly - Carlo
Benoit - Ekman-Larsson
Stolarz
It seems like the Maple Leafs are indeed going to be running with that lineup, as the team took to the ice for warmups:
We see the absence of Easton Cowan from the lineup as he gets himself a healthy scratch for the first time in his young NHL career. Berube admitted he needed a reset, but that it's certainly not the end for the rookie:
He needs a reset, to watch a game at some point, but he's in a good spot.
Cowan has one assist through four games, but also has an unsightly nine giveaways as opposed to zero takeaways. He's had his chances and looked good at times, but it's clear he's still got some growing pains to go through.
Taking his spot is Max Domi, who was slated to start the year up top with Auston Matthews but an injury to Scott Laughton caused some lineup reshuffling.
But now he's back and ready to get his offense kickstarted and history shows it could lead to a lot of success.
Matias Maccelli also gets a shot in the top-six as he needs to start getting his game together, so hopefully putting him with the team's top scorer in William Nylander will help.
With Laughton still injured, the bottom-six gets a serious makeover with Bobby McMann offering the speed and scoring potential on a big bruising physical line with Nic Roy and Dakota Joshua though McMann is no slouch.
The fourth line will get a brand new look as Steven Lorentz takes the middle, a move that Toronto could grow to love considering his solid career numbers, and it gives Nick Robertson a chance to play against lesser lines.
The defense stays the same which might not make Anthony Stolarz pleased, so hopefully they can have a better showing and give him some more protection when the situation calls for it.
Stolarz will be making his sixth start in seven games, as it's clear that he's going to shoulder the bulk of the workload while Joseph Woll remains absent.
This new lineup will get a chance to see if they are the key to the Maple Leafs' success as they take on the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night to close out a five-game homestand.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7PM ET. The game will be broadcasted on TSN4 in Canada, and ESPN+ for American viewers.
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