Knies, Nylander, or Rielly: Who Will Impact the Toronto Maple Leafs' Power Play? - The Hockey Writers - Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner’s departure does more than shuffle the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top six. It opens the door for a complete rethink of how Toronto runs its power play. For years, the team leaned heavily on Marner’s playmaking. But the results were uneven: flashes of brilliance one month, long droughts the next.

Now, with Marner gone, it’s time to ask some honest questions about personnel, positioning, and maybe even long-held scapegoats. The big question is which players will step up now that Marner has moved on.

Maple Leafs Net-Front Presence: Knies vs. Nylander

One of the most intriguing debates is whether Matthew Knies should permanently take over the net-front role. He brings the physicality, the willingness to plant himself in the tough areas, and the hands to finish greasy chances. In short: he looks like a natural for that job.

John Tavares is the most courageous net-front player the Maple Leafs have, combining fearless positioning with lightning-quick hands to bury rebounds. His hand-eye coordination is extremely solid. He also has the mentality that he’ll play the target. And put in errant pucks that bounce off him or anything else that gets in its way.

William Nylander, by contrast, can play there in spots but never seemed fully comfortable. His skill set is better suited elsewhere, and letting Knies own the crease frees Nylander to use his shot and speed in ways that punish penalty killers. If this switch sticks, it might be the simplest, smartest tweak Toronto can make.

Half-Wall Options: Nylander’s Shot vs. Marner’s Playmaking

For his entire Maple Leafs tenure, Marner on the half-wall was the default setup. He could see the ice, distribute the puck, and thread effective passes. The problem? He never had the shot to keep defenders honest. Penalty killers knew he was going to pass, which made Toronto’s attack predictable.

Nylander changes that equation. He can do almost everything Marner does as a playmaker, but with one added weapon: he has an elite shot. If head coach Craig Berube puts him on the half-wall, defenders have to respect both the pass and the rip. That balance could be exactly what the Maple Leafs’ power play has been missing.

Toronto Maple Leafs William Nylander — Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander
(John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

It’s too bad Nicholas Robertson isn’t that great a distributor – at least we haven’t seen it yet. His shot could keep the opposition honest on the penalty kill. The bottom line is that Robertson is very much a shooter first, passer second, and it’s unlikely he’d be effective as a point option on the power play — but he could still be valuable in a different role.

The Problem of Power-Play Inconsistency

The Maple Leafs’ power play hasn’t just been streaky — it’s been maddening. One 20-game stretch they’re clipping along at 30 percent, the next they’re barely scraping 10. In the 2023 playoffs against Boston, the unit went one-for-21. That’s not just bad luck; that’s a structural flaw.

This inconsistency points to a deeper issue than any one player. Systems, coaching adjustments, and even confidence all play into it. The reality is that Toronto’s power play has never found its true identity, and removing Marner might actually clear the way for something more cohesive to develop.

Reconsidering the Playmaker Hierarchy

Toronto has always had the talent. Auston Matthews is becoming a more dangerous passer every season. Nylander’s playmaking often gets overlooked because of his goal scoring. Even Tavares, often pigeonholed only as a finisher, can run the bumper spot effectively.

Then there’s Morgan Rielly. He’s long been dismissed as not producing enough on the man advantage. But when you stack his career numbers, he’s consistently near the top of NHL defensemen in assists and points. The question isn’t whether Toronto has enough playmakers — it’s how they’re being deployed.

Was Morgan Rielly Ever Really the Problem?

This is where the conversation comes full circle. For years, Rielly has worn the blame for a sputtering power play. The numbers back up some of that criticism — he’s never been a dominant shooter, and his point totals with the man advantage lag behind names like Rasmus Dahlin or Roman Josi. But maybe the problem wasn’t Rielly at all. Maybe it was trying to run the whole thing through a pass-first winger (Marner) who could be neutralized by playoff-caliber penalty kills.

With Marner gone, Toronto has no choice but to rethink the setup. That could mean more pucks on net, more variety, and a chance for Rielly to finally run the unit without being overshadowed. In the end, this might be less about replacing Marner and more about rediscovering balance. And if that happens, the Maple Leafs’ power play could finally become what it’s always threatened to be: consistent, dangerous, and (best of all) playoff-proof.