3 Adjustments the Toronto Maple Leafs Must Make vs Capitals
By Jeremiah Lee
1. The Toronto Maple Leafs Must Reunite Top Line
The Toronto Maple Leafs did enter the game with the first line that dominated last season, only to quickly made adjustments following the Canadiens’ second goal.
The Leafs ultimately ended up using Bunting with Matthews for only eight of Matthews’ 13 5v5 minutes. (stats naturalstattrick.com).
Yes, Michel Bunting’s attempted pass to Auston Matthews was lazy, and that lead to a Cole Caufield snipe. However, removing Bunting from the line removes a tenacious force on the forecheck.
While Mitch Marner and Matthews are capable of playing this way, it removes them from high-chance scoring chances due to positioning.
I would rather have Marner and Matthews ready for a one-timer rather than one of the two on the forecheck to set up said play. This is where Bunting is useful. His tenacity and ability to get to the dirty areas make life easier for his line mates, and he should be back to playing on that first line.
Bunting played ten minutes, scored a goal, and posted over a 70% puck possession rating with an expected goals rating over 60%. He clearly had a good game, and adjusting the lines after one mistake could be seen as an overreaction.
The Leafs should keep their best line together and be patient.