A Blueprint for Rebuilding the Maple Leafs’ Top Line
When Mitch Marner left Toronto, the first question everyone asked was simple enough: Who replaces him? The problem is that nobody is replacing Mitch Marner. Players with his vision, passing ability, and puck control don't come along very often. Maybe the better question is this: what does Auston Matthews need beside him to get back to scoring 60 goals?
That's really what the Maple Leafs are trying to solve this summer.
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Three things that Matthews needs on the top line to regain his goal production.
The first thing Matthews needs is someone who can carry the puck into the offensive zone with control. Matthews is at his best when he isn't forced to do all the work himself. Over the years, Marner excelled at gaining the blue line, drawing defenders toward him, and then finding Matthews in space. Whoever earns that job doesn't have to be Marner, but they do have to help Toronto spend more time attacking than defending.
The second quality is playmaking. This one almost goes without saying. Matthews might be the best pure goal scorer in the NHL, but even elite finishers need someone who can find them. The perfect winger doesn't just rack up assists. He recognizes where Matthews likes the puck and has the patience to make that extra pass instead of forcing a shot of his own.
Finally, there's hockey sense. This might be the hardest quality to find because it isn't measured on a scoresheet. Matthews plays a smart, detail-oriented game. His best linemate has to read the play as quickly as he does, know when to support the puck, know when to back off, and understand where Matthews is going before he gets there. That's one of the reasons the Matthews-Marner partnership worked for so many years. They thought the game the same way.
Who on the Maple Leafs roster could do the job?
Can Jack Roslovic do those things? Maybe. Could another player emerge during training camp? Absolutely. The Maple Leafs don't necessarily need to find another Marner. They need to find someone who complements Matthews in the right ways.
If they do, don't be surprised if Matthews starts looking like the player who scored 69 goals again. Great goal scorers don't suddenly forget how to score. Sometimes they just need the right partner to help unlock the best version of their game.