The Maple Leafs are rolling out a lineup that raises eyebrows on the eve of a big matchup with the Utah Mammoth, and the biggest twist is Gavin McKenna getting pushed down again.
Toronto arrives in this one coming off a strong finish to its Western road trip, a win over the Vancouver Canucks that gave the club a much-needed lift heading into Tuesday’s game. Utah, though, is no soft landing. The Mammoth already beat the Maple Leafs once this season, and they’ve shown they can be a problem on any night.
That’s why the lineup choice stands out so much. If Toronto wants to start fast and keep pressure on Utah, the logic would seem to point toward loading up the offense. Instead, Jim Hiller went in a different direction and inserted Dakota Joshua into the top six while sending McKenna back to the third line.
The defensive pairs and goaltenders were listed as:
McCabe - Raddysh
Rielly - Tanev
OEL - Stecher
Bobrovsky
Stolarz
The idea behind the move appears to be giving the second line more size and physicality, while also taking some of the defensive weight off William Nylander. But it comes with a clear tradeoff: Joshua is only in his second game of the season, and now he’s being asked to help support a top-six group.
That’s a lot to put on a player whose strength isn’t really offense. Nylander is the main driver on that line, and he can only carry so much of the load himself. The Leafs also need Paul to handle the dirty work, win puck battles and help keep possessions alive, with Joshua asked to do the same.
For McKenna, the demotion is frustrating because it cuts into his ability to influence the game at even strength, even if he likely keeps his power-play role, where he’s been at his best. He does have some chemistry with Vinni Lettieri, who has looked comfortable alongside him, but Lettieri hasn’t provided the offensive spark Toronto needs from that third line.
Maybe the move is about finding more balance. Maybe it’s about McKenna’s struggles at 5-on-5.
Either way, the Maple Leafs are betting on Dakota Joshua in a top-six role Tuesday night. Now they need him to look the part.
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