Leafs sticking with Matthews-Marner-Nylander line: 'Don't be too fancy'

The Toronto Maple Leafs will stick with an overloaded top line featuring Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander for Wednesday's tilt against the Dallas Stars, but head coach Craig Berube doesn't want his stars thinking they're in a skills competition.

"With those guys all being together, don't be too fancy," Berube said. "You still got to play the right way. Be direct, shoot pucks, get to the net. I talk to these guys, you can't all be on the outside wanting the puck, trying to create space for yourself. We've got to be direct still, and we've got to have guys at the net."

Matthews has played extensively with one of Marner or Nylander on his wing throughout their tenures with the Maple Leafs, and all three commonly share time on the top power-play unit. The trio occasionally shares ice time after penalty kills or while trailing late in games. However, since the trio's first full season in 2016-17, they've played a mere 216 minutes together at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Berube united Toronto's top forwards for multiple shifts late in Sunday's comeback over the Buffalo Sabres.

"I get Willy (Nylander) out there with those guys in-game, probably every game a few times," Berube noted. "I thought they were pretty good together, created some opportunities."

Marner (41 points) and Nylander (31 points) are the Leafs' top two producers this season. Matthews has managed 21 points in 22 games after missing time with an upper-body injury.