Potential Toronto Maple Leafs Line Combos for a Healthy Line-Up
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been struck by the injury bug countless times this season, but that has not stopped this team from coming together and putting some wins on the board.
The 2019-20 season has been quite the roller-coaster for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it has only been three months.
From starting off slow, to getting unlucky with injuries, to firing Mike Babcock, to getting more injuries, this team has faced adversity and learned how to play through tough times.
Despite having almost every player on the team out with an injury at some point this season, they have incredible depth in the Toronto Marlies, as well as some depth players Kyle Dubas signed in the offseason that could easily slide into the lineup.
Question is, when everyone comes back from injury who will slide into the lineup and who will come out?
The Leafs have recently lost Andreas Johnson (on the mend), Ilya Mikheyev and Trevor Moore without missing a beat. This is because of the ability to rely on players like Timashov, Brooks, Engval, Petan, Spezza, Gauthier, Aberg, Wilson, and Marchment for unprecedented depth.
Obviously the likes of Johnson, Moore and Mikheyev all deserve to play higher than the fourth line, so when they are healthy, who comes out? Who plays where?
Toronto Maple Leafs Current Lineup as of (Jan 8, 2020 vs WPG)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have seen themselves use different lineups countless times during this season, especially with some key players that have missed time (Marner, Tavares, Hyman etc)
Their current lines as of January 8, 2020 against the Winnipeg Jets with injuries to Jake Muzzin, Trevor Moore, Andreas Johnsson, and Ilya Mikheyev. (Injuries from thescore.com)
Forwards
Hyman – Matthews – Marner
Kerfoot – Tavares – Nylander
Engvall – Spezza – Kapanen
Timashov – Brooks – Gauthier
Defense
Rielly – Barrie
Dermott – Holl
Marincin – Ceci
Goalie
Hutchinson
Per. Paul Hendrick via Twitter…
Potential Lines When Injured Players Return
With four players currently out for the Toronto Maple Leafs (Muzzin, Johnsson, Moore and Mikheyev) the team is forced to juggle lines to figure out what lines are the best for the team going forward. As of right now Sheldon Keefe and I’m pretty sure everyone else thinks that the Hyman-Matthews-Marner line is generating at a high rate and going very well, and it shouldn’t be touched at all.
As well with the Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander line, it isn’t always a perfect line but they do have good games most nights, especially when Tavares and Nylander were both on their hit point streak.
These are the lines that I believe should be used when all four injured players return to the lineup, (with no trades involved or anything) as well with Ilya Mikheyev missing most of the season and is expected to be reevaluated in 90 days as reported on the day of his injury. His reevaluation would be with about three or four games left to go in the season. So the lines I’m about to discuss are with Mikheyev in the lineup as well and could potentially be used in the playoffs too (again if no trades happen)
Forwards
Mikheyev/Hyman – Matthews – Marner
Hyman/Mikheyev – Tavares – Nylander
Johnsson – Kerfoot – Kapanen
Engvall – Spezza – Moore
Defense
Rielly – Barrie
Muzzin – Holl
Dermott – Ceci
Goalies
Andersen
Hutchinson
Reasoning for These Forwards Lines
Let’s start with the first line.
Line 1
I have Mikheyev/Hyman – Matthews – Marner, and the only difference I have with this line with injured players returning is just trying out and putting Mikheyev on that line with Matthews and Marner. Mikheyev in my opinion is somewhat a similar player to Hyman, both are great on the forecheck, will go into corners and retrieve pucks as well as both can obviously score.
Although Hyman with Matthews and Marner right now looks good, i’m okay with Hyman staying put and putting Mikheyev on the second line with Tavares and Nylander.
Line 2
On line two I have Hyman/Mikheyev – Tavares – Nylander, just like line one I would like to see Hyman back with Tavares at some point this season if Keefe goes with putting Mikheyev with Matthews but if Hyman remains with Matthews and Marner for the future then putting Mikheyev with Tavares and Nylander isn’t a totally bad idea.
Like I said Mikheyev and Hyman are similar in ways, forecheck, retrieve pucks and can score, so either of them on either line isn’t a bad idea.
Line 3
Now line three is one of my favourites, and could possibly be one of the best third lines in the NHL. I have Johnsson – Kerfoot – Kapanen on this third line.
When Johnsson returns from injury which should be soon, I believe he should slot in the third line with Kerfoot and Kapanen. That line would be one of the fastest third lines in the league as well as an all around great line to add depth scoring on some nights.
With all three players relentless on the puck and will be more than okay going in the corners to get the puck, this could be a matchup line against tough opponents some nights. Given Kerfoot playing better on the wing right now with Tavares, I don’t see Kerfoot remaining on the wing when Johnsson and Moore returning from their injuries.
Line 4
Lastly line four, I have Engvall – Spezza – Moore, this line just like the third line is a great depth line that can contribute on any given night. I have Engvall and Moore staying in the lineup over Gauthier, Timashov, Brooks, Marchment for many reasons and they are pretty obvious reasons too.
Brooks and Marchment have played a combined eight games so they are the first guys out of the lineup, Timashov has been good in my eyes being in and out of the lineup but as well he could easily be replaced with Engvall and Moore. As well as Gauthier he will likely be the healthy scratch while the others are sent down to the Marlies.
How can you not take Pierre Engvall out of the lineup? He is playing exceptional hockey putting up (7G 5A 12 PTS) in 23 GP and only playing third and fourth line minutes and not seeing any power play time, but he is a mandatory piece to this penalty kill that’s for sure. (Stats from thescore.com)
Spezza was brought here to play fourth line minutes and serve as the fourth line centre and he will more than likely do that once everyone returns from injury as he is currently playing third line centre.
Moore has been out with a shoulder injury and a concussion as well but I believe he will be a great fit on that fourth line when he returns.
Although part of me feels like he plays a similar game to Timashov, they both are fast wingers who are not afraid to throw their body and get dirty in the corners. It will interesting what Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs do with the team, will they eventually trade a player like Johnsson and Kapanen to try to acquire a defensemen?
Reasoning for These Defensive Pairings
I’m just quickly going to go over the defensive pairings because they are not all that different to the current ones, they are actually the exact same.
With that being said I would love to see Sandin get called up and see if the Toronto Maple Leafs would package Ceci in a trade then the pairings would be different, but as of right now here they are.
Rielly – Barrie
Muzzin – Holl
Dermott – Ceci
Rielly and Barrie have been D pairings for a couple of weeks now and it is looking good in my eyes, it’s opening up and allowing Barrie to be himself and contribute offensively, and Rielly is playing through an injury but he has looked good in some games. Would like to see him get some rest with the All Star break coming up.
Muzzin and Holl have been the best Maple Leafs defensive pairing mainly because they are the confirmed shutdown pairing against top lines on the other team. With Muzzin being out week to week with a broken foot Marincin has seen some time in that shutdown roll with Holl, although as of last game against the Jets, Marincin was bumped down to the third pairing who he swapped D partners with Dermott.
Last pairing is the Dermott and Ceci pairing and there is not too much to say about this pairing, except Dermott is good at hockey and Ceci is not. But these pairings are most likely going to stay the same when everyone comes back from injury unless there is a trade and Ceci is moved but I guess we will just have to wait for that day to come.
dark. Next. Toronto Maple Leafs Three Stars
The Toronto Maple Leafs have quite a few days off until their next game which is Sunday night against the Florida Panthers, it gives them the days to rest and go over some things that weren’t perfect against the Edmonton Oilers and the Winnipeg Jets. You can catch the game at 7pm Eastern on Sportsnet.