I think keeping the best line in hockey together would be a good idea

Couple things I would change.

Leave the big line alone, we're going to need them to produce and that's all they've done up until this point. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Same goes with Kampf, Engvall, and Mik line. They are solid and shouldn't be messed with.

Get Kerfoot back with JT and Willy, they have done well at points this year. Doesn't hurt to give them a go again. Blackwell, Spezza and Simmonds likely make up the 4th line. I'd be surprised to see Knies in the lineup.

I'm good with the D-pairings.

Mrazek is still likely the back up. But if there's cap space right before the playoffs start, Kallgren will be with the squad.

they've been insane together but the other lines have been struggling. Matthews can still score like this with 2 crash and bang forwards and Marner-JT is tried and tested. Would give us 3 dangerous scoring lines vs basically the one line we have now with JT and Willy slumping

Knies is just a pipe dream, but I think that line would be so dangerous. 3rd line so you could literally let them feast on O-Zone starts and mismatches all game long, with the other 3 lines handling defensive matchups as needed. Though it does sound like he and Abbruzzese will get at least get a couple of regular season games in this year.

I agree that the line has been gross, but I'd like to see a longer experiment breaking Marner off the line because we know Matthews can produce with two crash and bang forwards and JT desperately needs a shot of life which happened over the couple games he played with Marner. In the playoffs we can't rely on one line gotta get them all going

I'd leave Mik too but not sure who'd move up to the top 6 in this scenario - though I do think Blackwell is a good enough defensive forward that he'd fit in well on that line. Maybe Robertson or even give Blackwell a shot as a grinder and puck retriever for that line

It didnt work out too well at the beginning of the year. Once Marner was put with Matthews again things turned around and the Leafs turned their season around

start of the year Matthews was coming off surgery with no training camp I think you've gotta give it another look. If it doesn't work go back for playoffs but I think you have to give a sustained look at spreading it out

It's already mentally taxing playing in TOR. I'd really hate to dump the mental stress of producing in the playoffs in TOR on Knies when he hasn't played a single NHL game. Nice pipe dream, but I'd personally like the kid to start in the AHL and work his way up. He may even move up pretty quickly.

It shouldn't be up to Marner to give Johnny a boost. He's gotta figure out how to get his game back with his linemates. I'm confident he will.

I've got the feeling Keefe just doesn't trust Robertson yet. He's pushed off the puck very easily. He needs to put some weight on in the offseason and practice sheltering the puck. He very well could be on the roster for the playoffs, but he's probably a press box player until there's an injury.

I'm not opposed to give Blackwell some shifts on the top two lines, but I'm sure he ends up on the 4th when the real fun begins.

Just my two cents.

They absolutely need to be broken up for this team to have any success in the playoffs. Not addressing the a LW/RW to play with Tavares and Nylander has made the decision even more of a must. Tavares and Nylander simply don't work, it doesn't matter who is on that line with them. The numbers don't lie. They have been out shot and out scored all season. THAT CAN'T HAPPEN. Tavares looked like a different player when he got paired with Marner when Matthews was out. Marner likes to slow the game down, that lets Tavares get bellow the dots where he is most effective. Nylander is a great rush player and needs to play with speed, something we can all agree JT lacks.

If this team could go:
Nylander Matthews Kase/Blackwell
Bunting Tavares Marner
Engvall Kampf Kase
Robertson Kerfoot Spezza/Kase/Blackwell

Would finally give them 4 lines that could dominate.

Just my two cents

I couldn't agree with you more I know the perception is why break up hockeys best line but it won't matter if our second line can't score at all. Both John and Mitch had their best seasons playing together and I think they should be brought back together because Auston is capable of carrying his own line and he and Willy have shown chemistry before.

yea no I agree on Knies. I think he'll get a try-out in the regular season though and he could perform, but unlikely. Again yea it shouldn't be up to Marner but if that's what has to happen to get everyone going then that's just what has to happen. Agreed on Robertson though I do think he should appreciate his effort. Agree on blackwell. Yea who knows what'll end up happening

yea like Matthews could play with two AHLers and still put up 50 tucks I think the more balanced they make it the better

100%, back when JT and Mitch played together in Babs last full season as coach Matty was playing with Kapanen and Johnsson all season and still was on pace for 50 through 82 games. Especially in playoffs we will need two top lines running at full steam and best to get them together now to get the chemistry going.