It took Sheldon Keefe nearly five years to figure out the best lines for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Unfortunately for Keefe, he figured it out right at the end of his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs got a new coach this summer, and appearently, either Keefe didn't leave him any notes or he wasn't listening, because he immidietley reverted back to the old standby of Matthews with Marner and Tavares with Nylander.
Neither of which works.
Time for Berube to Follow Keefe's Lead with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In some ways, you can't blame Berube because it doesn't make any logical sense that these line combinations, which are the most obvious you could come up with, don't work.
But John Tavares and William Nylander just don't mesh. Probably because they are both primarily interested in scoring goals and neither is a true set-up man. They both usally aren't that good defensively either (though, when he's in a defese-dedicated role, Tavares can be effective in it).
Marner and Matthews don't work because Marner is way too talented, creative and strong of a player to be anyone's sidekick. Sure, Marner has set Matthews up for the majority of goals in his career, but Matthews doesn't need the help.
As for Marner, when he's with Matthews, he's too tentative to take the lead and do his own thing. On a line where is more comfortable shooting the puck, he's a much better player.
Additionally, having Marner and Matthews on different lines stretches the lineup and makes it so that the Leafs get four wingers who improve instead of just one. And if you need a bonus reason, Marner and Tavares have always had great chemistry.
Personally, I'd move Nylander down to the third line - whether as a centre or.a winger - so that the Leafs can pretty much always have one of the best players in the world on the ice at all times.
But even if they don't want to do that, a lineup where Matthews is with Nylander is better than one where Matthews is with Marner.
Simply put: the Leafs are a way better team when Marner and Matthews are on different lines - it's basically impossible to play a team constructed like that. Pairing them together is just a gift to the opposition.
Finally, Berube needs to get Domi back with Matthews. The Leafs simply cannot afford to turn their nose up at the nearly 4 P/60 Domi was scoring while playing with Matthews. Also, without Matthews, Domi goes from superstar to completely useless.
To sum up: it's time that Berube gets up to speed with what everyone in Toronto already knew before he got here: Matthews and Marner go on different lines, and Nylander and Tavares is a bad combo, and Max Domi needs to play the wing with Auston Matthews.