Sheldon Keefe pushes William Nylander down to the third line

Despite his success this season, with 95 points in 75 games played, William Nylander is still not immune to being demoted to the third line by Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe. This might be a deliberate decision to help spread the talent that is found in the first and second lines.

The Leafs are almost guaranteed a shot at the 2024 playoffs. With Mitch Marner's recent return, it seems that Sheldon Keefe has been bumped back to the third line. Keefe used the following line combinations at a recent practice:





This can be interpreted as a bad thing for Nylander, but it could give the Leafs an advantage by spreading out their more talented players. If Keefe can find a good line combination, this decision could be beneficial for the Leafs. Sheldon Keefe has been known to experiment with different line combinations. Perhaps this decision can make a real difference for the Leafs.

Source - BladeofSteel: Sheldon Keefe demotes William Nylander to the 3rd line