Craig Berube makes a massive roster change to help the Leafs right the ship against the Bruins

Craig Berube and the Leafs have lost two in a row in blowout fashion, and now a massive roster change is in order in an attempt to right the ship for tonight.

In what was a highly trumpeted matchup, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube faced his former team, the St. Louis Blues, for the first time since taking over in Toronto. The game did carry a very personal feel for Berube; extra weight was put on himself as he hoped to make some sort of statement against his old squad.

It didn't quite go his way, though, as his team lost hard 5-1. Throughout the game, he looked frustrated, including with his big guns, such as Auston Matthews, whose game was pretty subpar. Cameras also caught an intense exchange between Berube and Matthews that was clearly the highlight of post-game talk. Matthews did admit afterward that the criticism was warranted and he was to blame for how his team performed below expectations.

But in the middle of disappointment, a bright spot in Leafs:. It was Oliver Ekman-Larsson's first goal as a defenceman of the Leafs, off a set-up courtesy of Morgan Rielly. The moment was big, not just because of the goal but because it signaled a noticeable change in Toronto's defensive structure moving forward. He had been paired with Chris Tanev in several games going into Friday night, but Berube opted to mix and match his defensive pairings for this game, which seemed to pay immediate dividends with Ekman-Larsson's goal.

This wasn't some one-time experiment with the defensive pairings. After testing the chemistry between him and Rielly through several practices, it seems like Berube has committed to keeping the two together for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, Chris Tanev has slotted in to skate with Jake McCabe, which has presented a new look for Toronto defense pairings. The fact that Berube is willing to mix and match these pairings just a few games into the season means he's not afraid to tinker to get the right fit, particularly with how Ekman-Larsson and Tanev are both fresh from free agency.

With both new defensemen still getting accustomed to the Toronto system, there was bound to be some experimentation. Chemistry takes time to develop, particularly as players become accustomed to their new teammates and styles of play. In the early nod of approval from Berube, both in terms of his deployment on the ice and putting Ekman-Larsson on the top power-play unit, the coach seems impressed with what he's seen from the veteran thus far. And with these new defensive pairings still to be tested, or withstand the challenge, for that matter, against the Boston Bruins, a team that has always seemed to be a thorn in Toronto's side, it remains to be seen if they continue to gel.

This defeat against St. Louis was a step backward, but Craig Berube's lineup changes, especially in the back part of the defense, indicate his activeness for the right mix of his team. Now, with tougher opponents like the Boston Bruins coming up in this season, this season will testify to how important it is that these new strategies succeed in determining the trajectory of the team.

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