Splitting up Matthews and Marner has worked a treat for Maple Leafs

Pairing Auston Matthews with William Nylander and putting them on a line with Michael Bunting has created an offensive juggernaut for the Leafs, something that would have been unimaginable when Matthews was producing magic alongside Mitch Marner.

Video Transcript

- So watching Bunting, Matthews, and Nylander play together has kind of like restored this like nostalgia I had for when Hyman Matthews and Nylander were playing together in the 16/17 season. Yes, those are Babcock years. We try to think about that. But remember how cool that season was when the kids came up and they were playing well and they were feeding off each other and scoring all these goals? I'm kind of getting similar vibes now that Matthews and Nylander came back to get playing together and Bunting is kind of taking his game up to the next step.

Just watching them just dominate teams, like literally. Like sometimes it's not even fair. Like Matthews and Nylander just kind of circle the puck around over and over again.

Bunting is doing his Bunting stuff in the crease. He's pissing people off. He's mouthing off and stuff. I don't know, it just gives me like this weird like nostalgia for that line. And again, it's even better that the line is working.

And I think, in the past, if you said like, hey, you know, what would happen if the Leafs were forced to separate Matthews and Marner, at a time, I'd say, OK, well, that's maybe not as ideal considering what they've been doing before. But this trio now, not only are they performing well, not only are they an effective line, also, it makes it feel good. I don't know about you, it makes me feel good seeing a trio like this together again.