The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to find their playoff lineup in the final 10 regular season games before the playoffs begin.
One player whom NHL analyst Justin Bourne of Sportsnet doesn’t expect to be in the lineup is Nick Robertson. Bourne believes Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube will go with someone with more size, which, in turn, will mean Robertson will be a scratch for Game 1 of the playoffs.
“Every time I make a lineup, like this is what it looks like, it doesn’t have Robertson in it, and I like Robertson. I think I have been fairly Robertson praising this year, but it is tough for me to see that spot in Game 1,” Bourne said on Real Kyper & Bourne on March 26. “Holmberg was out (March 25), but he’s going to be in; he’s heavy, he competes, he forchecks, he hits. He’s going to play, I would be shocked if you don’t see Nick Robertson in Game 2, likely Game 2, but I don’t think he will be there in Game 1.”
Robertson was a scratch in last year’s playoffs but ended up playing in six of the seven games due to other injuries. But, in his five years with the Maple Leafs, he’s only played in 10 playoff games, and all 10 came in the last two years.
So, Bourne expects Berube to want to go heavier in Game 1, which will mean Robertson will be a scratch.
Robertson has recorded 12 goals and 7 assists for 19 points in 61 games this season. His career-high is 14 goals.
Analyst Believes Maple Leafs Need Robertson
Although Bourne and his co-host Nick Kypreos, don’t think Robertson will play Game 1, fellow co-host Sam McKee disagrees.
Instead, McKee believes the Maple Leafs need Robertson as he gives Toronto a goal-scoring ability that other players who could take his spot don’t have.
“They’re desperate for anyone outside the top six to shoot it in the net, no one does. He has 13, 12 goals this year, it’s not a ton but they need but they need a chance of a goal. They need a chance, no one else gives them a chance,” McKee added.
McKee doesn’t think Toronto’s bottom-six has any threat to score without Robertson in the lineup. So, he is hopeful Berube does put him in Game 1 of the playoffs, but Bourne and Kypreos are doubtful it will happen.
Maple Leafs Coach Still Tinkering With Lines
Toronto is currently in first place in the Atlantic Division, but the Maple Leafs are still trying to figure out their lines.
Berube says he’s still tinkering with his lines but has liked the play of Max Domi and Robertson together.
“It’s a little bit of a battle still,” Berube said. “I think Max (Domi) and Robbi (Nick Robertson) have played a ton together this year. I moved Bobby McMann up and I still work in pairs more than I work in lines I would say. Always have. You gotta mix things up once in a while, we do that, we move a winger here and there around… It’s always tinkering it around a little bit.”
However, the Maple Leafs still have 11 games left in the regular season, which is plenty of time to try and figure out a lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs.
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