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Exploring Where Patrik Laine Could Fit into the Toronto Maple Leafs Lineup

Patrik Laine's highly publicised trade request opens up a unique opportunity for the Toronto Maple Leafs to add an elite-level player at a discount price. However, the big question remains: Where does Laine fit into the Maple Leafs lineup? Exploring the answer to that question reveals some tantalising possibilities.

By Nestor Quixtan

Patrik Laine would easily slot into the Toronto Maple Leafs top six. But the question remains where precisely Laine could land.
Patrik Laine would easily slot into the Toronto Maple Leafs top six. But the question remains where precisely Laine could land. / Kirk Irwin/GettyImages
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Final Verdict

The Toronto Maple Leafs cannot trade for Laine only to stick him in the bottom six. While playing him on the third line might work for a short while, deploying Laine in the bottom six would be a waste. As such, Laine needs to play with either Matthews or Tavares. Perhaps a Max Domi-Knies-Laine line could be an interesting idea to play around with.

Nevertheless, the Leafs need to maximise their punch by putting Laine in a spot to score goals. That spot could include making him the point man on the second power play unit.

Let’s think about that for a second. The Leafs have never had a solid second power play unit in a long time. Getting Laine on board automatically allows the Leafs to capitalise on more power play opportunities, especially when the top unit fails to connect.

If I were Craig Berube, I would match Laine with Tavares. An experienced centre like Tavares can give Laine the confidence he needs to play up to his strengths. That prospect would be a huge departure from the situation he faced in Columbus where he lacked a true top centre, while being asked to shoulder a significant share of the burden.

Plus, the prospect of unleashing a “super” line with Nylander, Matthews, and Marner could become a regular occurrence thanks to the scoring Laine provides.

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Let’s not forget that Laine is still 26. So, it’s fair to assume he’s still got plenty of gas in the tank. If that’s the case, Laine could be part of the missing pieces the Toronto Maple Leafs need to make it over the proverbial playoff hump.

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