Leafs plan to keep using Tavares as winger moving forward

The Toronto Maple Leafs front office made waves last weekend with a blockbuster three-team trade.

In a deal with the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild that included a 75% salary retention on Ryan O’Reilly, Toronto showed a bit of creativity to make things work to fit a talented player into their lineup.

And it appears the coaching staff is following suit with the complicated, unique moves to fit O’Reilly into the mix.

In the two games since this past weekend’s trade that sent O’Reilly and Noel Acciari to Toronto, the team has been experimenting with captain John Tavares flanking one of O’Reilly’s wings with Mitch Marner lining up on the other side.

Few players could cause Tavares — one of the league’s most widely respected veteran centres — to shift his position, but it seems the Leafs like the look of having the 2019 Selke and Conn Smythe winner centering the team’s second unit behind Auston Matthews.

The new-look trio was held off the scoresheet at 5v5 in their first two games together.

But though it might seem unconventional, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe appears to be sticking with it for the time being.

“It isn’t something that’s going to be a one-off or anything like that. We’re going to stay with it and give it some time to come together,” Keefe said to a group of reporters after the morning skate on Tuesday. “I actually thought that they had a good night the other night. They look to me like a group that’s close to breaking out.”

O’Reilly has picked up one assist in his two games so far in the blue and white.

The team hasn’t had a whole lot of practice time with each other since the trade, with O’Reilly set to play three games in his first four days with Toronto.

“We’re just still trying to read each other and, and kind of see how things are playing out,” O’Reilly told reporters today. “It’s kind of weird, just jumping right into the games. But it’s also good; that’s where a lot of the chemistry and stuff starts to build in those games.”

As for what his responsibilities are like on the wing, Tavares said he’s still getting used to the role.

“I think it’s an opportunity where I can look to thrive in the position,” Tavares said of playing with O’Reilly. “Obviously, I’m playing with some pretty good players.”

Puck drop for the Leafs against the Buffalo Sabres is set for tonight at 7:30 pm.

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