Insider names best replacement for Tyler Bertuzzi to play with Auston Matthews

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Tom Banks
July 17, 2024 (7:49 PM)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have a huge job to do in replacing Tyler Bertuzzi alongside Auston Matthews, and now there's been an intriguing option put forward.

Last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs found a gem on their top line in loveable veteran Tyler Bertuzzi, but this summer he opted to leave in free agency, as he inked a deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Now, after making little movement on their forward group in free agency, the Maple Leafs need to find a way to replace his two-way production alongside Auston Matthews. Thankfully, former Maple Leaf and TSN's Carlo Colaiacovo has an obvious suggestion;

"There's two ways to look at this. One is it's a pigeon suggestion to break up Matthews and Marner. Matthews and Marner have been the two players that have led this team to the success they have had in the regular season. A lot of people would look at those two as being a Batman and Robin," said Colaiacovo.

"If you split those two up, what are you going to do? Play Marner with Nylander and Tavares? You're not playing Marner in a third line role to start the season. I think the peacock move here would be to look at a first line that has Domi, Matthews and Marner on it, because both of them have had success playing with Auston Matthews.

Domi actually earned a future with the team because of the success he had with Matthews... clearly this group is going to be defined by four forwards. You can't play three of the four forwards on the same line or you're decimating the depth, which is the strength of this team, so the peacock move would be to play Domi with Matthews and Marner because of the success they have all had together."

With the emergence of Matthew Knies, they have another option, but Colaiacovo believes the team should keep things simple, opting to go with a top line of Dom-Matthews-Marner in 2024/25.

Like last year, we may see some surprises for Toronto, but if they want to bring Matthews back at his very best, keeping the Marner combination together alongside Domi may very well be the best choice.

Source: Maple Leafs Daily
With Bertuzzi gone, an ex-Leaf reveals who should flank Auston Matthews