Pressure Mounts on Craig Berube to Start Small Forward in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Craig Berube is going to try and put the best lineup possible out in the playoffs and after one forward's recent production, should earn him a spot.
As the Maple Leafs try to keep their Atlantic Division hopes alive, the team is going to have to figure out who is best suited to line up for Game One, and there's a lot of questions about if Toronto should keep what they've got, or look to a call-up in time for the playoffs.
But if Craig Berube wants to go ahead and give himself a great chance at succeeding, he should look at one forward who has been quietly good recently and also one of Toronto's best goal scorers surprisingly.
Nick Robertson Needs To Play Game One
In an article written by Jonas Siegel for The Athletic that talks about how the Maple Leafs can best prepare for Game One, the insider and analyst talked about the importance of making sure Nick Robertson lines up:
The Robertson playoff decision is difficult. I'd lean to playing him. This Leafs team remains super top-heavy: Nylander, Tavares, Matthews, Marner, Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann have accounted for 72 percent of the goals this season.
Robertson is next up with 14 goals. After that? Max Domi with eight, followed by Morgan Rielly and Steven Lorentz with seven apiece.
Robertson is next up with 14 goals. After that? Max Domi with eight, followed by Morgan Rielly and Steven Lorentz with seven apiece.
It's a big difference between Robertson and Domi, with the former nearly doubling the output of the latter, but it's not just the goal output that's impressive.
His production at 5v5 has been one of the best on the team, and even in minimal time is able to get the puck in the net.
He's actually playing more minutes than last season, tied his career-high for goals, has a very respectable 13.9% shooting percentage and already doubled his hits; he's showing more edge, finishing checks and finishing shots; something Siegel noted:
Robertson is by far the most likely to put the puck in the back of the net and maybe even win the Leafs a game because of it.
That's tantalizing for a team that's struggled to score in the playoffs.
That's tantalizing for a team that's struggled to score in the playoffs.
Considering that Toronto is so top heavy, and their other players aren't necessarily the top tier of offensive talent, if Robertson can keep his current pace, it's going to pay off huge for the Maple Leafs come round one.
Let's just hope he played like he has recently, and in the preseason or Toronto is going to be in for a world of hurt.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 8 | 433 ANSWERS Pressure Mounts on Craig Berube to Start Small Forward in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Is Nick Robertson going to be a key factor in the Maple Leafs' playoff push? | ||
| Yes | 303 | 70 % |
| No | 130 | 30 % |
| List of polls | ||