Mack speaks to the media, San Jose at Pittsburgh, Dec 13th. PIT's Wotherspoon laid a hit on Will in the 3rd period that saw Will leave the game; Mack got his revenge and lead the sharks from a 5-1 deficit to an OT win.
i know some people disagree, but willmack being separated when they’re not playing well together isn’t some vendetta against them, it’s good coaching. the leafs moved willy nylander to the third line today because he wasn’t clicking on the second and it immediately paid off with a goal. sometimes it’s good to try new combinations and shake things up, as evidenced at the end of the second period where mack’s line almost got that goal (saved by that crazy giant beast lmao)
will often looks for mack first whenever he gets the puck and it’s too predictable, and i think mack is getting too reliant on their connection and their playmaking views don’t always line up. plus, apart they play very different versions of hockey, so it’s nice to force them into separate playmaking roles. mack is grittier, hard along the boards, tends to go well with players more aggressive, and will plays smart but fast but is really weak at puck battles and prefers things moving quicker. it might open up their views/get them thinking on their feet more to try something new.
not to say that they won’t go back to being on the same line again next game, but in this one, they definitely needed a change in energy
SJS vs. OTT (11.22.25)
the cutest bench moment you'll see today—willmack making silly faces (ft toff letting them be in their own little bubble)
