"Whether it was Laughton being injured, Matthews being injured, Roy being injured, or a combination of all three, the Leafs have played just six full games with all four of their best centres in the lineup through 28 games this season. Since they've all come back, we've seen a much better forward core. The bottom six have played a much more physical game and are starting to produce offensively. Players in the bottom six have scored 10 goals in the last four games."
"Now that obviously isn't sustainable, but for most of the season, the fan base was wondering why guys like Dakota Joshua couldn't contribute. Even if they regress a little bit, I'm not asking them to carry the offensive production. All they have to do is play tight defensively, play physically, and chip in offensively from time to time. What having all four centres also does is take away penalty-kill minutes from Matthews."
The Toronto Maple Leafs recorded only nine regulation wins in the first two months and currently sit outside the playoff picture. The team faces additional injuries without both Stolarz and Woll while holding a 3-1-1 record in the last five games. Full health among the four top centres has occurred in just six full games through 28 games this season. Since the centres returned, the forward group has improved, with the bottom six playing more physically and producing 10 goals in the last four games. Laughton contributes on the penalty kill, reducing Matthews' short-handed minutes.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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