The Toronto Maple Leafs have been in this position before, and the Florida Panthers present a difficult challenge. It’s slowly starting to slip away from the Leafs after taking a 2-0 series lead, and they must turn it around in a crucial Game 5. Craig Berube might want to look at some lineup changes for the Maple Leafs, and he teased that after Wednesday’s morning skate.
“Leafs coach Craig Berube says they’ve got ‘game time decisions’ for their lineup tonight. Coach’s decision, not injury related,” Lebrun reported.
Toronto has been rolling with the same lineup for the entire series, and Berube hasn’t shown any panic when his team starts to struggle. Berube kept the lineup cohesive in Round 1 when the Ottawa Senators started to charge back, and you could see him follow the same strategy. If the coach makes a move, it could signal a bit more panic in the coaches’ room than in the last series.
The Maple Leafs thought they’d have to make at least one change when Max Domi had a dangerous hit on Aleksander Barkov at the end of Game 4. Domi escaped a suspension, as the league decided to levy a maximum fine. However, some players on the roster could impact the series.
Maple Leafs’ possible lineup additions
Toronto could look for more offense, which would pave the way for Nick Robertson. He lost his spot after Game 2 of the Ottawa series and never regained it with the resurgence of Max Pacioretty. After getting shut out by Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 4, Robertson’s offensive punch could be well-needed.
Robertson had 22 points in 69 games this season, but 15 were goals. He doesn’t give the Leafs much on a shift-by-shift basis, but he has a game-breaking ability to put the puck in the net. That one goal could make all the difference in a series as tight as this one.
David Kampf is also a candidate to be drawn back into the lineup. Kampf suffered an injury in a game against the Panthers 42 days ago and hasn’t been in the lineup since. He won’t bring as much offense as Robertson, but he is a reliable bottom-six center. If the Leafs want to beat the Panthers at their own game, Kampf might be a better option.
Regardless, Berube’s lineup decisions for the Maple Leafs will be highly scrutinized. Time is getting short for Toronto to turn it around.
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