No one in their right mind would suggest that we, as a class of hockey journalists know more about tactics than Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube and his staff, we’ll get this easy caveat out of the way. And the sky isn’t falling for the Maple Leafs after a two-game losing streak either, but there still are major areas of concern. Toronto has scored 50 goals at 5-on-5, the 23rd-best mark in the NHL prior to Tuesday’s games. For a team that has previously built its identity around its offensive proficiency, this is a troubling sign.
“We need some guys to contribute down in the bottom six, for sure,” Berube said following Saturday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. “Got to find a way to manufacture some goals from those guys, for sure.”
Toronto has failed to generate any meaningful secondary scoring. William Nylander, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, Bobby McMann and Morgan Rielly have accounted for 67 of Toronto’s 80 goals in all situations — 83.75 percent of the total, and despite the team’s defensive excellence to start the year, it’s an uneasy trend.
Here are three potential solutions to Toronto’s offensive woes at 5-on-5:
Deploy John Tavares against bottom-six competition and let him cook
Tavares is amid a resurgent campaign and I’ve previously detailed how his power game and hockey intelligence have worked wonders for the Maple Leafs, while the notion of his declining skating speed is completely unfounded. He’s been one of Toronto’s best players and has generated strong results against top competition this season. And now the Maple Leafs can attempt to lessen his workload, while trying to create some mismatches.
The 34-year-old could be deployed against bottom-six competition as a third-line centre, in an effort to provide some more balance for the Maple Leafs. William Nylander could be moved into a No. 2 centre role — it really doesn’t matter if he’s playing centre or wing, but allowing him to play up the middle is an easier pathway to greater playing time, while Tavares operates in a No. 3 role, where he can reinvigorate Toronto’s struggling wingers, while being a mismatch against weaker competition. Tavares is bullying his way to the net, and if this pathway doesn’t create enough ice time for Tavares, Berube can adjust his combinations in the third period, where he can be bumped up the lineup as a second-line winger.
Tavares is winning 57.3 percent of his faceoffs, he’s bullying his way to the net-front and generating second-chance opportunities for his linemates. He’ll retain possession against weaker players, and could take Fraser Minten under his wing on a super-powered third line. He’s been impactful against top competition and he won’t view it as a demotion, rather as an opportunity to feast on players that aren’t equipped to deal with his strength and scoring touch, while awakening Toronto’s dormant bottom-six.
Continue to reward players in-game for strong contributions
Berube has shown a tendency to reward players for strong in-game contributions — one example that stands out is placing Minten on a line with Tavares and William Nylander during Wednesday’s victory against the Nashville Predators, where he provided the 20-year-old with an opportunity to make an impact along two stars, after he was the central component of a dominant effort from the third line.
Through the opening 27 games of the season, Berube has attempted 62 different forward combinations and he’s not afraid to experiment at this juncture of the year — although one would figure that his lines will become more permanent as the season marches forward, in an effort to find the optimal playoff combinations. Toronto’s lineup boasts plenty of lineup flexibility as Max Pacioretty can be deployed throughout the lineup, as can Bobby McMann and Max Domi when they eventually return from injury. Domi hasn’t performed as a top-six forward, fighting through injury while being mired in a 13-game pointless streak.
Berube and his staff has openly valued internal competition. Aside from the Core Four, no one’s spot in the lineup should be rigidly confirmed and Berube should continue to reward strong in-game performances, while seeking the optimal combinations for April and beyond. He can shorten the bench as he’d like, especially in the third period, to send a further message to underperforming players.
Trade for No. 3 centre
Toronto doesn’t have a ton of cap manoeuvrability at the moment, with $664,896 in projected cap space, while $5.275 million is buried in the LTIR pool. Although the Maple Leafs are firmly in win-now mode, it would take some clever salary cap gymnastics from Brad Treliving and Brandon Pridham to make a blockbuster trade come to fruition.
The Nation Network’s Jeff Marek indicated that he believes the Maple Leafs will inquire about Nazem Kadri at some point this season, in what would be a much-welcomed reunion tour. Kadri fits the Maple Leafs’ timeline, is well-liked by several veterans and would be an instant solution for Toronto’s scoring woes at 5-on-5. It may be very tricky to pull off as Kadri holds a $7 million cap hit, and the Maple Leafs would likely need to another club to retain parts of his salary in order to slot him into the lineup.
We’re not ruling out the blockbuster trade option — there are ways to get around cap limitations entering the playoffs after all, and Treliving will likely be in favour of pursuing an aggressive strategy if the Maple Leafs continue to be in the mix as a genuine contender.
