  Toronto Maple Leafs' head coach Ron Wilson yells at the referee during the first period of their NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Toronto, November 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Fred Thornhill) |
TORONTO - With a team desperate to wake up its offence, Leafs coach Ron Wilson has opened practice with a significant shuffle to his line configurations, including a big move at centre.
Rookie Nazem Kadri, who has played on the wing since being called up from the Marlies earlier this month, was at centre Monday morning on a line with Phil Kessel and Clarke MacArthur at the start of the team’s practice at the Mastercard Centre in Etobicoke.
Tyler Bozak with Kris Versteeg and Freddie Sjostrom formed another unit while Mikhail Grabovski was with Nik Kulemin and Luca Caputi.
Wilson isn’t shy about shuffling lines both in game and between them, but if the move sticks,but it's obvious something had to be done. The team scored just one goal in road losses to Buffalo and Ottawa.
In seven games with the Leafs, Kadri has four assists but Bozak has been struggling with just six points in 22 games. Originally, Wilson said he planned to keep Kadri at wing, but when the offence went into the deep freeze, he obviously has other plans.
Injured captain Dion Phaneuf skated prior to practice while Colby Armstrong is participating in his first full practice since injuring his finger in early October.
The Leafs have three home games this week - Tuesday vs. Tampa, Thursday vs. Edmonton and Saturday against Boston.
