Hockey Hall of Famer and Toronto Maple Leafs legend knows replacing Mitch Marner was never going to be easy.
Marner had played on the top line with Auston Matthews and is one of the best playmakers in the NHL. He played a key role in Matthews’ goal-scoring success, but this season, without Marner, it hasn’t been the same, and Sittler thinks losing Marner is a key reason why.
“Well, there are very few players in the league that have the skill set that Mitch has,” Berube said to Heavy.com, through an interview by ToonieBet. “He’s a gifted, great player. He makes those perfect passes on the tape that you can do at one timer. He sees an open space and gets you the puck where you said, ‘How did that happen?’ So to speak. As a player who has played with great players on my line, I know it’s important when you don’t have them, you do miss them.
“It’s hard to find that chemistry. But at the same time, Mitch has moved on. Sometimes, as we all know, the hockey circumstances of whether it’s a salary cap or just the situation you’re in, things don’t stay the same. So we wish him the best. But in Auston’s case, he’s just got to go out there and keep doing what he does as best he can. Hopefully, there’ll be a fit that somewhere comes along the line that’ll be the match. But it’s not easy to find that. When you do find it, you should never take it for granted because it doesn’t come around very often.”
The hope for Sittler is that Matthews finds chemistry quickly with someone on the top line to get back to being an elite goal scorer, especially at 5-on-5.
Sittler: Maple Leafs Face Plenty of Pressure to Win
Not only has Matthews gotten off to a slow start, as he has just two goals at 5-on-5, but so too have the Maple Leafs.
However, Sittler isn’t worried, as he knows the Maple Leafs have a good team and it’s only a matter of time until they turn it around.
However, the Hockey Hall of Famer knows that the longer the Maple Leafs struggle, the louder the noise and pressure gets in Toronto.
“I think there’s pressure everywhere,” Sittler said. “But think what happens, because we haven’t won the Cup in 1967, everybody goes back to that stat, so to speak. When you’re in throttle, there’s a lot of media attention, there’s a lot of focus, there’s a lot of expectations. When you don’t live up to those expectations, it builds for sure.
“We do have a very good hockey club. It’s a fine line when you get into the playoffs without making any excuses between winning an overtime game and losing an overtime game, between winning a seventh game and losing a seventh game. The hockey Gods haven’t been on our side. … We haven’t been able to do it. But we do have a good team.”
Toronto is off to a 6-5-1 start and is second-last in the Atlantic Division.
Craig Berube Got Tired of Finding Answers on Matthews’ Line
After Marner left this offseason, a big question was who would replace him on the top line.
To begin the season, the Maple Leafs used Max Domi, Matias Maccelli, Nick Robertson, and Easton Cowan in the right wing spot. But there hasn’t been one clear-cut answer for the Maple Leafs coach, which has been frustrating.
“It is a good question,” Berube said postgame after a loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 21. “Early on in the season, they were getting their opportunities and looking pretty good. Now, it is obviously not good enough. I don’t feel like they have any sustained pressure in the offensive zone at all. It is one and done or out. They don’t have any sustained pressure in the offensive zone.”
When asked if the experiment could last a while, Berube admitted that it was a possibility.
“It could be, but I am getting tired of it, to be honest with you,” Berube concluded.
Matthews has 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points in 12 games.
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