Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images The Toronto Maple Leafs are making key lineup adjustments as they prepare to host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena. With forwards William Nylander, Calle Jarnkrok, and Scott Laughton sidelined due to injuries, head coach Craig Berube is calling on a familiar player — Sammy Blais — to make his season debut. Claimed off waivers from the Montreal Canadiens, Blais has not appeared in an NHL game since the 2023–24 season. Now reunited with Berube, who coached him during their Stanley Cup-winning run with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Blais is ready to bring physicality, speed, and energy to the Maple Leafs lineup.
Craig Berube reunites with Sammy Blais as Maple Leafs look for a physical edge
Speaking to reporters after Monday’s practice at the Ford Performance Centre in Toronto, Craig Berube explained that Blais’ delayed debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs was due to roster depth and numbers rather than performance or readiness.“I think we’ve had numbers here, right? We’ve been getting Easton Cowan going and some of the other guys,” Berube said on Monday. “That’s the reason; it is more of a numbers thing than anything. We had our guys here. We picked him up off waivers, which is great, but that is really what it boils down to.”Now that injuries have opened the door, the 28-year-old forward is set to make his first appearance of the season. Known across the NHL for his physical forecheck and strength along the boards, Blais adds toughness to a Maple Leafs team looking to find consistency early in the campaign. “Sammy is a physical player. He likes to throw his body around on the forecheck,” Berube added. “From the past time when I’ve had Sammy, he has really good hands; he is good in tight with the puck, and he can do pretty incredible things with the puck. He has a good shot, too. More than anything, he is going to go out there, finish his checks, and try to make the other team uncomfortable.”
Toronto Maple Leafs unveil new line combinations ahead of matchup with Flames
With William Nylander listed as a game-time decision, Toronto’s projected lineup against the Calgary Flames could shift just before puck drop. If Nylander remains unavailable, these are the expected forward lines:Bobby McMann – Auston Matthews – Nick RobertsonMatthew Knies – John Tavares – Matias MaccelliDakota Joshua – Nic Roy – Easton CowanSteven Lorentz – Max Domi – Sammy BlaisBerube expressed confidence in the potential of the top line featuring Auston Matthews, Bobby McMann, and Nick Robertson, noting their chemistry and pace. “Speed. A lot of speed on the wings,” Berube said. “They were getting on top of people. It was a good goal by Nicky, coming off the bench and finding that hole there. Nicky has speed, Bobby has speed, and Auston has speed; it’s a fast line. I want them to be direct. They’ve got to just play direct, do their job in the offensive zone, and make sure they’re responsible defensively.”The Maple Leafs, currently 4-4-1, are searching for consistency as they continue through the early stages of the 2025–26 NHL season.
A second chance under Craig Berube could reignite Sammy Blais’ NHL journey
When the Toronto Maple Leafs claimed Sammy Blais off waivers from Montreal before the season, Berube immediately praised the addition and emphasized the mutual understanding between player and coach. “He knows what I expect out of him, and I know what I’m getting out of him,” Berube said before the season began. “I think more than anything, I know what type of player he is and what he brings to our team, and he knows what I want, so it’s good to have him.”A sixth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Blais has appeared in 257 career NHL games, tallying 27 goals and 44 assists for 71 points. His debut on Tuesday night in Toronto represents an important opportunity to reestablish himself at the NHL level under a coach who trusts his game.As the Maple Leafs continue to adjust amid injuries and lineup changes, the return of a player familiar with Berube’s system could provide the spark Toronto needs to build momentum moving forward.Also Read: Sam Lafferty returns to the Chicago Blackhawks—can grit and familiarity spark the rebuild?