Much has been made of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ bottom six this season, often framed as a lingering weakness on an otherwise well-rounded roster. With a dominant top six headlined by the usual suspects—and rising star Matthew Knies—plus reliable goaltending from Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, the team’s primary question heading into the playoffs hasn’t been about its stars. It’s been about depth.
But after Tuesday’s 4–0 win over the Buffalo Sabres, it’s fair to ask. Alex Hobson’s post today made me wonder if the Maple Leafs have two effective third lines instead of none?
A Tale of Two Maple Leafs “Third” Lines
Against Buffalo, head coach Craig Berube iced two different bottom-six units that didn’t fit the usual first-line-wannabe or pure shutdown archetypes—and it worked. The trio of Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Calle Järnkrok delivered not only the game-winner (scored by Lorentz) but also dominated the underlying numbers, including a 73% expected goals rating and 62.5% Corsi-for. All three forwards were involved in the scoring play and consistently controlled play at both ends of the ice.
Meanwhile, the trio of Bobby McMann, Pontus Holmberg, and Nick Robertson offered a more offense-first look. Robertson added an insurance goal—his third in the last five games—and since the 4 Nations break, he ranks third on the Maple Leafs in 5-on-5 goals. Despite a recent slump, McMann has scored 20 goals on the season. And Holmberg, while not lighting up the scoresheet, continues to quietly drive play with a 52.4% shot attempt share in his past 10 games.
Defined Roles—and Real Production
These aren’t just “working” lines—they’re producing and driving results. That combination of utility and flexibility could be exactly what the Maple Leafs need come playoff time.
It was a small sample against a Sabres team already eliminated from contention, but the structure makes sense. The Lorentz-Laughton-Järnkrok unit can serve as a physical, defensively responsible group that can chip in offensively. Each player has shown a knack for scoring timely goals. Lorentz leads the Maple Leafs in game-winners among bottom-six forwards with five. Järnkrok and Laughton both have previous 18+ goal seasons under their belts.
On the flip side, the McMann-Holmberg-Robertson line feels like a true energy line with scoring upside. Zone starts could be managed to their strength—offensive situations—while the other line absorbs the tougher matchups. Fans might think of it less as a third and fourth line, and more as a Line 3A and 3B situation.
Is This the Maple Leafs’ Best Chance Yet?
The reality is, playoff demons still exist. Yet, this is the best shot the Maple Leafs have had at a real run in years. They have the elite top-end talent. The team has strong goaltending. They have a tested blue line. And now, maybe—just maybe—they’ve finally figured out their bottom six.
Related: Can Johnny Toronto Reach the 40-Goal Milestone Tomorrow?
