Opinion | Sheldon Keefe, Maple Leafs need to complete their chemistry experiments before exam time

The head coach of the Maple Leafs, Sheldon Keefe, is the professor. The class is chemistry. The term is winding down rapidly and it’s up to Keefe to get everyone in the proper seat over the next three weeks to do their best work. The task is a big one. Could too many options prove to be a negative?

I always thought that chemistry was an interesting choice of words to describe cohesiveness. I’m not sure what your high school chemistry class was like, but mine was anything but smooth. A lot of the experiments didn’t exactly have the desired results.

The Leafs’ record over their last 10 games entering Saturday — 6-3-1 — belies exactly how challenging this chemistry may be.

General manager Kyle Dubas did a terrific job of giving Professor Keefe the strongest, deepest group of players he has coached during his Toronto tenure. Six players were acquired before this year’s trade deadline, and most impressive were the specific qualities each one brought. Ryan O’Reilly, sidelined by a hand injury in his eighth game with the Leafs, is renowned for his mental toughness and the way he competes. He is hard to play against on every shift. and is sure to be a force however he is deployed.

Noel Acciari and Sam Lafferty brought depth, speed, and grit, and Lafferty showed the ability to move up and down the lineup as he settled in.

Jake McCabe fills the void on the blue line that the injury to Jake Muzzin created. Able to skate in the top two pairings, McCabe brings a physical element that is demanded in the playoffs. The return of Luke Schenn brings more defensive zone physicality, something the Leafs have missed in recent playoff years. Erik Gustafsson, provides the insurance of a veteran defender with power play capabilities.

Early results indicate that the perfect formula has not been found yet. How exactly to employ this infusion of specific talents poses its own set of difficulties. It is the beauty and curse of options that is Keefe’s biggest challenge.

Will O’Reilly be a third-line centre providing matchup and depth difficulties for the opposition, or part of the top two lines, with either O’Reilly or captain John Tavares sliding over to the wing? O’Reilly’s injury has delayed the decision and taken away viewings of what things might look like.

Certain things have been clearer with the core-four incumbents, but their complementary edges have still yet to be determined. Mitch Marner’s skill set is interchangeable with Auston Matthews and Tavares. William Nylander slides in behind Marner with whichever centre remains. But how best to employ super pest Michael Bunting? And can Calle Järnkrok’s increased offensive production and two-way savvy find a place alongside Matthews?

The success of this team in the post-season will surely be defined by the top end of the lineup, but one can’t underestimate the role the bottom six will play. Knowing the first-round opponent os Tampa Bay only amplifies the point, as the Lightning’s lower half has shone through the past three post-seasons, scoring timely goals that have shifted series. Keefe has been given more to choose from this year, but the players’ lack of familiarity with each other becomes a factor, and settling in with a definite six for at least the last 10 games could prove valuable.

Defence poses a bigger cohesion issue than the forward group, a point that has been magnified with the coach’s choice to employ a lineup of 11 forwards and seven blueliners on several occasions. Playing with seven defencemen allows for versatility but it removes the comfort of going out with the same partner on every shift. A rhythm is often hard to find, as are the nuances that good pairings develop. Nothing on the defensive side has been firmly established since the deadline and the luxury of even short-term familiarity will be lost if things don’t settle soon.

Goaltending also has provided options, with both Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov providing solid play. This is the one position where the hot hand will be played, and there’s a good chance both will have to factor in for a positive outcome.

There will be an interesting checkpoint in the Leafs’ second-last game of the regular season, when they visit Tampa. Professor Keefe should have his final chemistry grades by then, but will he choose to show the results of his experiments or save them for the playoffs? Only a series win will determine if he was able to turn his many options into a positive.

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