Maple Leafs Make Several Key Lineup Changes for Game 4

The Toronto Maple Leafs face a crucial Game 4 Saturday night against the Boston Bruins, and head coach Sheldon Keefe has decided to make a series of roster moves that will hopefully spark the team.

Not the least of which is that they are "preparing for" the return of William Nylander to the lineup.

Maple Leafs preparing for Nylander to play.

Some game-time decisions, but Robertson moves to fourth line, Dewar sits.

Brodie looks to take Liljegren’s spot on third pair.

Keefe hasn’t liked that pair, plus Liljegren is not 100 percent healthy.
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) April 27, 2024

Other moves include Connor Dewar and Timothy Liljegren being scratched, while TJ Brodie returns to action for the first time this series.

Sheldon Keefe says the Leafs are “preparing for” William Nylander to play in Game 4.

Projected lineup:

Bertuzzi — Matthews — Domi
Knies — Tavares — Marner
Nylander — Holmberg — Järnkrok
Robertson — Kämpf — Reaves

Rielly — Lyubushkin
Benoit — McCabe
Edmundson — Brodie

Samsonov
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) April 27, 2024

Nylander is set to join the third line with Pontus Holmberg and Calle Jarnkrok, while Nick Robertson drops down to the 4th line with David Kampf and Ryan Reaves, and Brodie will line up on the third pairing on the blueline with Joel Edmundson.

Top-six winger Bobby McMann is still not ready to play, but he's "progressing well" and should be ready to skate “soon,” according to Keefe. He has not ruled him out for the series.

As for Nylander, the 27-year-old is coming off his second straight 40-goal season, with a career-high 98 points, but severe migraines have kept him out for the first three games of the series, which the Leafs trail 2-1.