Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube isn’t too interested in Matthew Knies’ idea.
The Maple Leafs have a hole on their top line after Mitch Marner left this offseason. Toronto will have Knies and Auston Matthews on the top line, but who plays with them is uncertain.
Knies has suggested William Nylander plays on the top line, but Berube isn’t a fan of that.
“That’s a good point, and that’s a good question, because you can always think you can throw Willy up there. But I think that adding Joshua, Roy and Maccelli gives us more balance and maybe we’re just a little deeper four-line team. And keeping Willy with (John Tavares), I really like that pair too. So, I don’t mind a balance, to be honest with you,” Berube said to The Athletic.
As Berube says, he likes Nylander and Tavares together, so he doesn’t want to separate them. Meanwhile, keeping Nylander on the second line also spreads out their offense and doesn’t make Toronto too top-heavy, which is what Berube likes.
Nylander is entering the second year of his eight-year, $92 million deal with the Maple Leafs. He recorded 45 goals and 39 assists for 84 points in 82 games.
Knies Wanted Nylander on His Line
Entering training camp, Knies isn’t sure who will be his opposite winger on the Maple Leafs’ top line.
Toronto has options like Mattias Maccelli or Max Domi, but Knies believes Nylander would be an intriguing option.
“Willy is pretty dynamic,” Knies said to The Toronto Sun. “That wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.”
Although Knies is a fan of the idea, Berube isn’t, so he will be playing with someone else come opening night.
But the Maple Leafs could roll forwards on the top line for the first couple of games before settling on a set line.
Knies signed a six-year, $46.5 million extension with the Maple Leafs this offseason that kicks in this year. He recorded 29 goals and 29 assists for 58 points in 78 games.
Maple Leafs Coach Keeping Lineup Options Open
Entering camp, Berube isn’t sure how his lines will look after all the new additions.
So, Berube says he will use camp and preseason to see who plays well with whom. But, one of the big questions is who plays with Knies and Matthews on the Maple Leafs’ top line.
“Again, we’re not replacing Mitch. I’m not looking at it that way. But I think it’s about trying some people at camp, for sure. I think that’s the route you gotta go and see what looks good and what fits. I think Auston and (Knies) have been a good pair here, all of last year,” Berube said. “I thought they worked really well together. I think it’s a good combination there. And I’ve always worked in pairs more than lines. So I think Knies and Matthews are a good pair and it might be popping guys in and out of there in different situations sometimes. We gotta test it out in camp and see where we’re at.”
Berube says Domi and Maccelli are two of the front-runners to play on the Maple Leafs’ top line.
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