REPORT: Sheldon Keefe shares his PLAN for John Tavares going forward
Former Stanley Cup Champion Ryan O'Reilly has joined the Toronto Maple Leafs in a significant trade this past weekend which was a huge upgrade to their lineup. Surprisingly, no big-name prospects or roster players were traded in the move. In his first three games with the Maple Leafs, O'Reilly has scored three goals and provided two assists, indicating a good fit with the roster.
Although many expected O'Reilly to be the third-line center behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares, the Maple Leafs experimented with him at the second-line center in the game against the Buffalo Sabres, with Tavares on his wing. The result was a dominant performance and a win, which has prompted head coach Sheldon Keefe to reveal that this line configuration is here to stay.
Sheldon Keefe on what he told John Tavares before moving him to the wing: «It's not a one-off. We're gonna stay with it here.»� Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) February 21, 2023
While Tavares is having an impressive season with 26 goals and 60 points in 58 games, moving him away from the center role burden could unleash his offensive potential further. The Tavares-O'Reilly-Marner line showed promise in the game against the Sabres, and it will be intriguing to see how they perform for the rest of the season.
| POLL | ||
22 FEVRIER | 20 ANSWERS REPORT: Sheldon Keefe shares his PLAN for John Tavares going forward Should the Leafs keep Tavares on the wing? | ||
| yes | 10 | 50 % |
| no | 10 | 50 % |
| List of polls | ||
