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The Toronto Maple Leafs line combinations expected to play against the Montreal Canadiens in the historic rivals final meeting of the season at the Bell Centre on Saturday is reflective of some of the decisions that head coach Sheldon Keefe will be making over the final two weeks of the regular season, heading into the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against an undetermined opponent.
Who the Leafs play will be a factor in how Keefe crafts his lineup, just as it may affect what six defensemen start Game 1. Against the Habs with Mitch Marner returning after missing a month with a suspected high ankle sprain, he is slotting in on the second line with center John Tavares and winger Bobby McMann, with Keefe not opting to break up the chemistry of Auston Matthews, Max Domi, and Tyler Bertuzzi.
William Nylander moves down to the third line with Pontus Holmberg and Matthew Knies, taking the place of Nick Robertson, with the fourth line of Connor Dewar, David Kampf and Ryan Reaves remaining intact.
Toronto has flexibility up the middle, and that is where some of the lineup machinations will “center”. Matthews and John Tavares are locks on the top two lines, but we have seen throughout the year Domi, Kampf, and Holmberg center the third and fourth line and Dewar can play there as well.
One unknown factor at this point is whether Calle Jarnkrok will be available to start the playoffs after enduring a second hand injury. The veteran would slot in on the second or third line, and would give Toronto a nice problem to have with extra quality forwards.
If Keefe has the luxury of having Matthews be productive without being paired with Marner or Nylander, it lengthens the Toronto lineup and makes them a more difficult matchup.
Right now, if Jarnkrok is available, the likely players in danger of not playing to start the playoffs are either Dewar, Holmberg or Ryan Reaves. Up until recently, Reaves not being in the lineup was a forgone conclusion, but the enforcer has stepped up his play with the level of physicality that was expected when he signed a three-year deal last summer.
If the Leafs play Boston or Florida in the first round, Reaves has to be in the lineup to be the sheriff and keep things calm on the other side.
Ilya Samsonov will be in goal for Toronto against the Habs.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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