TORONTO — William Nylander and John Tavares are again collectively once more, and the Toronto Maple Leafs plan to maintain it that means in the intervening time.
Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe shuffled the deck in a 5-2 victory in opposition to the New York Islanders on Monday, and the transfer paid instantaneous dividends. Together with his offense sputtering within the opening 20 minutes, Keefe reunited the 2 forwards and watched the dynamic duo mix for six factors in a four-goal second interval.
Given these outcomes, Keefe mentioned it was a comparatively easy resolution to maintain these two collectively alongside wing Calle Jarnkrok when the Maple Leafs host the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Enviornment on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, SN NOW).
“I noticed myself going again to it,” Keefe mentioned after apply Tuesday. “The best way the blokes responded yesterday tells me it is a good time to stick with it.”
For a lot of final season, Tavares and Nylander performed on the identical line with quite a lot of wings, whereas Mitchell Marner and Auston Matthews lined up alongside Michael Bunting. This season, the traces had been tweaked with Nylander becoming a member of Bunting and Matthews, and Marner becoming a member of Tavares and Jarnkrok.
With Toronto trying sluggish and down 1-0 to the Islanders after the primary interval, Keefe’s shuffling of the traces ignited a four-goal second interval wherein Nylander had 4 factors (two objectives, two assists) and Tavares two (one objective, one help).
“I do not have a look at it as a ‘stale’ kind of factor,” Keefe mentioned. “It is simply typically it’s essential to change the chemistry a little bit bit and get a spark.
“The season is lengthy, and I believe typically it is vital to keep up the chemistry that works each methods. Final season, there have been occasions when Matthews and Marner had been actually rolling [together] and we modified it up periodically. So, I believe it is vital we proceed with that.”
Keefe made no guarantees how lengthy Tavares and Nylander will keep collectively. However within the brief time period, he likes what he sees.
“We’re speaking about elite gamers,” Keefe mentioned. “And after they’re enjoying properly, it would not matter who their linemates are as a result of they are going to discover a solution to produce and impression video games.
“Have a look at the best way that ‘Will’s’ enjoying and the consistency he brings. For instance, final evening he would not have first interval, however then he is capable of repair it and are available on and have an amazing second interval. John simply the identical. That is an amazing signal and really wholesome for them and for our crew. Like I informed them, in previous years it might take three or 4 video games for them to search out it and get again on line. This 12 months, each of them, and Will specifically, have been capable of make that adjustment.”
The underside line: The Maple Leafs’ Large 4 — Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Tavares — are producing at a excessive degree irrespective of who they’re enjoying with.
Take into account this: Matthews, final season’s Hart Trophy winner because the NHL’s most respected participant, has 13 factors (eight objectives, 5 assists) throughout his private 10-game level streak and is having fun with one other advantageous season with 53 factors (25 objectives, 28 assists) in 46 video games.
Even with these spectacular numbers, he trails Nylander in objectives (26) and factors (56). Marner is tied with Nylander for the crew lead in factors (17 objectives, 39 assists).
As for Tavares, he has 47 factors (21 objectives, 26 assists) in 48 video games and performed, in Keefe’s opinion, his greatest interval of the season Monday within the second. The 32-year-old is averaging virtually some extent per sport and is on tempo to play his 1,000th NHL sport in opposition to the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
“I assumed we have had good stretches within the season by our group, and clearly ‘Willy’ has flipped again with me,” Tavares mentioned. “We’re simply attempting to work along with Calle and produce some good momentum.
“We’re getting outcomes, and that is nice.”
