Gavin McKenna’s ice time has taken a sharp hit over the last three games, and the reason isn’t a coaching decision or a dip in his play. It comes down to one major absence.
McKenna has averaged just 12:44 in his last three outings, a steep fall from the 14:23 he was getting over his nine games before that stretch. The drop has been even more noticeable in the details: he was under 11 minutes against New York, and he played fewer than seven minutes against Buffalo.
That Buffalo game looked like a warning sign at first, especially after McKenna had already been benched earlier in the season. But he earned his time back quickly in the next game. This latest decline, though, has a different explanation.
It has everything to do with John Tavares.
The loss of Tavares against the Sabres left McKenna without the veteran support that had clearly mattered to Jim Hiller. Even though Hiller said he wanted to get McKenna out there, he clearly wasn’t as comfortable doing it without Tavares beside him.
That change has pushed McKenna down to the third line, where he’s been skating with Colton Sissons and AHL standout Vinni Lettieri. It’s an unusual mix, and it exists because of Tavares’ absence and the need to move Nick Paul into the 2C role.
There is some chemistry there already. Tavares has McKenna to thank for setting up one of his two goals this season, and Anthony Stolarz has somehow picked up assists on both of those goals. Without McKenna’s quick pass, Tavares may not have scored against Nashville.
Still, when Tavares returns, McKenna is not automatically headed back up the lineup. Kirill Marchenko has been excellent, and Easton Cowan has been too.
Toronto will likely slide Paul back down with Sissons and McKenna and move Lettieri out, but there’s another option worth considering: putting Tavares at 3C instead of Paul. That setup would make matchups easier to manage, give the team elite face-off work and defense with Tavares and Sissons, and still keep McKenna paired with a veteran who can help drive offense.
The suggested look would be:
Cowan - Matthews - Roslovic
Marchenko - Paul - Nylander
McKenna - Tavares - Sissons
Duhaime - Blueger - MacEwen
That arrangement gives every line a clear job while still packing plenty of offense through the full group. Even the fourth line has chipped in - those players combined for seven points against New York.
Change can be uncomfortable, but sometimes it’s the only way forward. When Tavares returns, the Maple Leafs may want to take a fresh look at their third line, because that’s the spot that still needs the most sorting out.
In Other News...
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The Maple Leafs are leaning on a different look in goal for a tough date with the Oilers, with Anthony Stolarz getting the start as Toronto tries to steady itself against one of the leagues most dangerous attacks. Sergei Bobrovsky will serve as the backup, and the setup gives the Leafs a little more intrigue in a game where every lineup choice feels magnified.
On the blue line, Dakota Mermis is set for his season debut after being recalled from the Marlies, a move that reflects just how thin Toronto has become on defense. Chris Tanev, Nick Blankenburg and Marshall Rifai are all in the injury mix, so the Leafs are piecing together their back end while trying to survive a brutal test without much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Face A Familiar Trade Dilemma On Defense
The Maple Leafs keep circling the same question on the blue line: whether a trade can shore up a defense that has left plenty of room for debate. One name that fits the conversation is Rasmus Ristolainen, the Philadelphia defenseman whose size and style have long made him a speculative target whenever Toronto starts looking for help on the back end.
Philadelphias angle is part of what makes the idea interesting, because the Flyers appear more open to players who can help them sooner rather than a package built around draft capital. Ristolainen is on injured reserve but is close to returning, and with no trade protection and free agency looming this summer, his situation gives Toronto another familiar deadline-style dilemma to weigh as it looks for defense without paying too steep a price. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Blue-Line Need Makes One Dream Trade Worth Watching
Torontos blue line remains one of the clearest talking points around the club, and that is what makes the Roman Josi discussion so easy to imagine. If the Maple Leafs are looking for a true difference-maker on defense, the Nashville veteran would sit near the top of the wish list, the kind of player who could reshape the back end and change how the group is built around its top pieces.
The catch is obvious: this kind of move does not exist in a vacuum, and the path to even getting in the conversation would depend on Nashvilles season going off the rails. If the Predators keep sliding and start considering bigger roster changes, Toronto would have to decide how far it is willing to go, with a serious pursuit likely costing a major asset such as Ben Danford or Easton Cowan. For now, it is the sort of trade rumor that says as much about the Leafs need as it does about how rare the solution might be. [Read more 🡒]