Leafslatest reported this morning that the Maple Leafs shook up their lines at practice, with Easton Cowan and Jack Roslovic skating alongside Auston Matthews.
Toronto won 4-2 in Vancouver on Saturday night and still changed things. Utah comes to town Tuesday, and Jim Hiller is clearly not done tinkering.
Leafslatest noted that Dakota Joshua got a bump up to line 2 and that Sergei Bobrovsky skated as the Leafs' "first goalie."
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The post also had John Tavares on the ice in some capacity, but the text cuts off there, so the details are unclear. What the sheet does say is that Tavares is listed on IR with a lower body injury and is expected to be out until at least Nov 27.
Cowan on the first line is the story. Matthews has been raving about playing with him, as Auston Matthews' praise for Easton Cowan showed last week. Now the coaching staff is giving that chemistry top billing.
The numbers back it up. Cowan has 14 points in 16 games this season, including a short-handed goal and 2 game-winners.
Roslovic is no passenger either. He has 16 points through 16 games, and his 10 assists tell you he can move the puck for a shooter like Matthews, who sits at 11 goals.
Why Dakota Joshua's bump up matters
Joshua has played just 1 game this season, so moving him up to the second line is a notable vote of confidence. He was recalled from his conditioning loan last week, as Dakota Joshua's return amid the Leafs' injuries explained.
The injury list is part of the reason. With Tavares out, Toronto has to find center depth somewhere, and Joshua at 6'3 and 220 pounds brings size that the middle of the lineup lacks.
Bobrovsky as the "first goalie" isn't a shock. He has played 10 games this season, and Toronto sits 12th in the NHL at 8-6-2 with a +7 goal differential.
Still, a team that just won is rearranging its top two lines. That suggests Hiller sees something he doesn't like, even in a victory.
The Leafs are 6th in the Atlantic, and Tuesday against Utah will show whether this new first line sticks or whether the lines change again before puck drop.
Should Easton Cowan stay on Auston Matthews' line for good?
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