The Toronto Maple Leafs have a ton of options with the lineup they have at the moment, and the coaching staff may be entering the season with a “secret weapon.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering another season with the intent to win the Stanley Cup.
Given that the entire Atlantic division has declined in skill, and the Metro division is really still not a problem, the Leafs seem to be primed to take the conference.
Last season, I had a strong feeling that whoever would win between the Leafs and the Lightning would be the Eastern Conference representatives… And it was right.
One would think that the Maple Leafs would enter the season without much of a change to a system that brought so much success, but the coaching staff decided to make a not-so-minor tweak and bring in a “secret weapon”.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Secret Weapon
The Toronto Maple Leafs have brought up the idea of using Mitch Marner as a defenseman in some cases, giving him reps with Morgan Rielly.
This would be used when the team needs a goal, and, to me, this is a great idea. You have the big five on the ice at the same time, and you still have a competent defense when the opposition is on the offense.
Auston Matthews is still quite underrated for his abilities as a defender, being the best sniper in the league and quite capable of keeping the puck out of his own net.
“Flexing” Marner as both a forward and a defenseman would not be an every night thing, this would be brought out in clutch or desperate situations. Such situations would likely be tied games late into the third, down by a goal half-way into the third or to sway the momentum if the Maple Leafs find themselves in a hole.
Much like an energy line, the offensive zone time could be off the charts with the Big Five on the ice at the same time for extended periods.
Sure, this is really just an idea at the moment, but the idea of bringing Marner out as a defenseman on occasional shifts is a great one by Sheldon Keefe and the coaching staff.
Marner’s defense and willingness to block shots are well known, and his ability to play in all situations like Patrice Bergeron and Pavel Datsyuk has been something fans likely take for granted. Should the coaching staff follow through with this idea, the Toronto Maple Leafs could reach even higher heights than previously expected.