Toronto Maple Leafs: Brown needs a line change or a Marlies reunion
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Connor Brown is struggling at 5v5 this year and he needs a change of scenery.
In the best interest of the player and team, the Toronto Maple Leafs need to either give Connor Brown a new line or send him back to the Toronto Marlies.
Brown is waiver exempt, so he can find his way to the Marlies with no risk. That being said, I’d prefer a bump up the lineup.
He’s a player who thrives when surrounded by other players who are good at hockey. I’m not saying Martin and Holland have been as disastrous as I’d expected, but they just don’t suit a player like Connor Brown.
More from Editor In Leaf
Brown’s abilities are being sacrificed at the expense of playing a veteran like Milan Michalek higher in the lineup. Again, it’s got nothing to do with Michalek or how he’s playing. It’s about Connor Brown and maximizing his value.
Brown can be Toronto’s version of Chris Kunitz, but he can’t be that guy when he’s patrolling the ice on the fourth line with Holland and Martin.
At 5v5 this year, Brown is the Leafs worst forward defensively and he’s stagnant offensively. It’s only been five games, yes, but how much better will things get for Brown if he remains where he’s at in the lineup?
Extracting the best from a young player doesn’t mean making his life difficult with bottom-feeding linemates.
If the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t find room for Brown with quality linemates then they should consider sending him back to the Marlies so he can continue to develop in a more suitable environment.
Expectations for Brown aren’t the fourth line in the NHL. He’s simply gelled too well with star players over the course of his junior and AHL career. He needs to continue to develop with stars. With the Marlies he could play an increased role and play with better offensive players.
In another year of struggle for the Leafs, would it be such a bad thing to play out a better scenario for a player whom the Leafs figure to be part of a core moving forward?
This article originally appeared on 
