October is for experimenting and it's too early to give up on Knies-Matthews-Cowan

"Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube appeared to be slightly exasperated following Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, and few could fault him. It was a thorough beating, as the Devils' superior speed in transition made the Maple Leafs look a step or two slower, a contention that Berube seemingly disagreed with, but in any event, Toronto's head coach has grown frustrated with the first line."

""I think early on in the season, I thought, you know, they were getting their opportunities and looking pretty good," Berube said. "Now, it's like, it's obviously not good enough. I don't feel like they have any sustained pressure in the offensive zone at all. It's one and done, then they're out.""

"It's more than fair to be frustrated with Toronto's output through a 3-3-1 start where it has looked inconsistent. Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz called out William Nylander and Auston Matthews following a 4-3 loss to the Seattle Kraken, the power play isn't clicking, and once again there's an offensive imbalance. There is one catch: Easton Cowan was easily one of the Maple Leafs' 12 best forwards and the first line was working when he was affixed on the right wing, alongside Matthews and Matthew Knies. Berube abandoned one of the few combinations that has worked in October, and it's a keen reminder that the early stages of the season are precisely for tinkering with your lineup, in search for some ideal combinations heading into April, and beyond."

The Maple Leafs lost 5-2 to the New Jersey Devils, with New Jersey's transition speed exposing Toronto's slower play. Craig Berube expressed exasperation and specific frustration with the team's top line for failing to sustain offensive zone pressure. The club started the season 3-3-1 and has shown inconsistency, power-play issues, and offensive imbalance. Anthony Stolarz publicly criticized William Nylander and Auston Matthews after a prior 4-3 loss. Easton Cowan had been one of the team's best forwards and provided effective chemistry on the right wing with Matthews and Matthew Knies before being scratched, which surprised observers.

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