Craig Berube Shocks Fans With ANOTHER Drastic Lineup Change

Monday, March 17, 2025 ,


The Toronto Maple Leafs are staring down a critical must-win game against the Calgary Flames on Monday night, and head coach Craig Berube’s latest lineup decisions have left fans scratching their heads.

Coming off a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, the Leafs are desperate to turn things around. 

In a bid to shake things up against Ottawa, Berube made some significant changes: Mitch Marner was bumped off the top line in favor of Max Domi, David Kampf was benched, and William Nylander found himself on the third line. 

While the adjustments didn’t fully pay off, there were glimpses of promise—enough to suggest that change might be the right path forward.

Yet, in a puzzling twist, Berube has reverted to the status quo for Monday’s game, including one particularly baffling—and frankly, frustrating—decision.



Craig Berube Reverts to Old Lineup with One Head-Scratching Change

As the Toronto Maple Leafs gear up for their next game, head coach Craig Berube has decided to roll back to a familiar lineup—with one glaring exception that’s sparking plenty of debate.

Mitch Marner is back on the first line alongside Auston Matthews, while Pontus Holmberg rejoins the second line with William Nylander and John Tavares. 

But it’s the third line that’s drawing the most criticism. Max Domi, who has struggled with consistency all season, is centering the trio. This decision is even more baffling considering the Leafs just traded a first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin for Scott Laughton—only to have him relegated to the fourth line.

Not to mention, Domi’s performance has been lackluster, and both he and Nick Robertson would be better suited on the fourth line, with Laughton and Calle Jarnkrok moving up.

While resting David Kampf for a game isn’t the end of the world—he’s played a ton this season and could use a breather—it’s hard to justify sitting one of your most consistent defensive forwards while Holmberg and Domi continue to get ice time.

Here’s the fresh approach that would (hopefully) shake things up:


Knies - Matthews - Nylander

Laughton - Marner - McMann

Robertson - Tavares - Jarnkrok

Lorentz - Kampf - Domi


The bottom line? Sticking with the status quo isn’t going to cut it. If Berube continues to rely on the same old formula, the Leafs are destined for the same old result: another early playoff exit. 

It’s time to shake things up and give this team a real chance to succeed.


Image - John E. Sokolowski-Imagn

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