Mike Babcock wouldn’t have done this by accident.
The Leafs head coach would know the reaction he'd get dropping Mitch Marner to the fourth line at a Monday practice in Toronto. Not only would he draw the 20-year-old’s relative struggles into the spotlight and cool the buzz of another Auston Matthews-driven win, but he would leave himself room to get a dig in elsewhere.
“Let’s not read too much into this,” Babcock said of the move. “Their line wasn’t going so tie goes to the veteran. How’s that? He just happens to be the kid on the line that’s it.