Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.12

www.afootinthecrease.com

When Mats Sundin was interviewed between the 2nd and 3rd periods of his team’s game in Washington on Friday night, he was jokingly asked if there was any room for him in a lineup that seemed to be firing on all cylinders of late. After Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Boston, a game in which Maurice used as he said “325 different line combinations,” perhaps the Coach was wondering just that as he seemed to arbitrarily select troops for battle on this particular night.

Now of course this is indeed an absurd notion. When your best player, let alone a world class player is ready to get back into the lineup, no matter how good your team is going, you get him back in the lineup. However, throughout the better part of Saturday’s game; it never felt like Maurice could make up his mind as to where, when and with who he wanted Sundin to play. Since he has taken over the Head Coaching reigns of the Maple Leafs, I have been nothing but thrilled with the work Maurice has done. I felt like Maurice overdid the line changing last night to the point where I had a hard time keeping the lines straight in my head while watching the game. Since this is really the first decision of Maurice’s I have questioned, I will cut him a great deal of slack. However, if I was the Coach, this is what I would have done.

Wellwood with Antropov and Ponikarovsky. Solid in Sundin’s absence and with Sundin back, the potential for a solid second scoring line exists. Stajan with Tucker and O’Neill. Also solid without Sundin, they can score, grind and get under the skin of opponents. Sundin goes with Battaglia and Steen. Battaglia has been good enough to earn some time with the Captain and perhaps this could be someway to finally get Steen to let loose. The time for the young sophomore to get going is now. He is starting to hear about it not only from fans but now the Coaching staff as well. The fourth line then becomes the shutdown line with Peca between Kilger and Pohl. Suglobov, well he can warm Sundin’s place in the press box. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.