Can you really win riding three forwards? Why the Toronto Maple Leafs need to adjust their ice-time allocation

Mitch Marner & Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple LeafsIn the 2018-19 playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated, yet again, by the Boston Bruins in a seven-game series. Despite Auston Matthews playing over 20 minutes in four of those seven games, his ice time really came into question after logging 18:48 in Game 7, which was third on the team behind John Tavares and Mitch Marner.

Over his first three seasons, despite being one of the best goal scorers in the league from the moment he entered it, Matthews averaged 17:38, 18:08, and 18:33 of ice time, respectively.

The ice time for the Leafs’ young stars — particularly Matthews — became a major talking point for months carrying over into…