Maple Leafs' Craig Berube signals changes, demotes star from top power-play unit
Coach aims to give team a boost against the undefeated Winnipeg Jets
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The Maple Leafs are hoping that shaking up their roster will snap a three-game losing streak, a tall order against the undefeated Winnipeg Jets.
When the Leafs went on the ice at Canada Life Centre on Monday morning after a day off following an overtime setback in Boston, there were significant changes to the lines and the power-play unit.
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Maple Leafs' Craig Berube signals changes, demotes star from top power-play unit Back to video
Coach Craig Berube appeared to have broken up the second line for Monday night’s game, moving up Max Pacioretty on the left side with centre John Tavares and William Nylander, who is pointless in his past three starts.
“They’ve been successful in the past,” Berube noted of Tavares and Nylander’s long association as linemates when the coach addressed the media in Winnipeg on Monday. “With Pacioretty there, a big winger that could score (the Leafs) are just trying to find a little bit more scoring in some other lines.”
Berube said there has been lots of discussion with Nylander to emphasize his strengths.
“If he doesn’t get the puck enough, it’s hard. He’s a guy who needs the puck in his hands … where he can expose the opposition. That’s part of the coaching end with Willy.”
Pacioretty told reporters he was pumped to get a shot with the dynamic Nylander.
“He’s one of the best skaters in the league, tremendous offensive abilities. I’ve got to try and make it simple and make it a little bit easier on him.”
Max Domi and Bobby McMann — also blanked the past three — found themselves Monday on a third unit with checker Pontus Holmberg. The fallout also saw winger Nick Robertson scratched.
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Matthew Knies, who has been one of the most consistent performers from a production and physical standpoint, joins fellow first liners Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews on the top man-advantage unit, with Nylander now in the second group. The team as a whole is struggling at a 10% success rate, 29th in the NHL.
While Toronto’s main priority is stopping its three-game losing streak (0-2-1) and, secondly, ruining the Jets unbeaten October run (8-0-0), a sidebar for the Leafs is preserving their own piece of NHL history.
The 1993-94 Leafs, under the late Pat Burns, were the first team to win their first 10 games of the season, a record matched once by the 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres.
To make their own mark, the Jets will have to get by the Leafs, then win two road games — in Detroit on Wednesday and Columbus on Saturday.
The ’93-94 Leafs had one overtime win in their run while Winnipeg has three so far and the ‘06-07 Sabres had three shootout victories during their streak.
Among the striking differences in the two Canadian clubs’ start this month is power-play success. Winnipeg is first overall at 43.5%. Winger Cole Perfetti’s three power-play goals himself are as many as the Leafs’ vaunted squad has produced as a whole.
Toronto assistant coach Marc Savard has been under scrutiny to try something new after days of predictions by Berube and the players that things eventually would turn without the need for big changes.
In Winnipeg’s most recent win, 5-3 over Calgary on Saturday, the Jets gave up the first goal for the sixth time this year, but weren’t fazed. They also killed all four Calgary power plays and produced a short-handed goal to reach 16 straight regular-season victories stretching back to last season — the second-longest streak in league annals to the 17 of the ‘92-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.
That win also came with Eric Comrie in net for a second game during the streak with Connor Hellebuyck likely to start Monday, putting his .940 save percentage on the line — the best by any goalie with at least six starts.
Anthony Stolarz is expected to start for the Leafs, a sign he has cemented No. 1 status over Joseph Woll for now.
The Leafs do have a record of 7-3 against the Jets in the past 10 meetings and, in Winnipeg specifically, have compiled a recent mark of 9-2-1, often with a friendly crowd.
Winnipeg native Ryan Reaves gets into the game on Toronto’s fourth line with Steven Lorentz and David Kampf.
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