An important part of the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup is expected to return to action when the team takes the ice Saturday night in Montreal against the Canadiens. Right winger Mitch Marner is expected to be in uniform and will take his regular shift and play on the Toronto power play as he returns from an ankle injury.

Marner was on the ice for practice Friday and was a full participant for head coach Sheldon Keefe. He has regularly played next to Auston Matthews on the team's top line, but that was not the case in Friday's practice. Marner skated with John Tavares and Bobby McMann on the second line, while Matthews skated with wingers Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi

The reason behind the move seems quite obvious. Keefe would like to spread the scoring talent around rather than keeping the two stars together. Actually, the Leafs have high-level scoring talent on the top three lines as the team prepares for the playoffs in the final seven games of the regular season.

Matthews, of course, is having a remarkable year from a scoring perspective. He has already scored 63 goals and has an outside shot at reaching the 70-goal mark if he can hit another scoring surge over the final seven games of the season.

Bertuzzi has played better in recent weeks after a slow start and he has 19 goals and 19 assists, while Domi has 8 goals and 34 assists.

Marner's return will give the second line a spark.

Marner is one of the most creative and elusive players in the NHL, and he gives the entire Toronto lineup a dangerous characteristic. He returns to the team after missing his team's most recent 12 games. Marner has scored 25 goals and 51 assists as he prepares for the season's home stretch.

Marner's speed and quickness are his most obvious characteristics, but he also has wonderful vision and anticipation. Keefe is hoping that his presence on a line with Tavares and McMann will help make that line a major threat to score big goals.

The Leafs should also have one of the most dangerous third lines in the league. That line features William Nylander, Pontus Holmberg and Matthew Knies. Nylander is another brilliant skater and he has already notched 40 goals and 55 assists. Holmberg (16 points) and Knies (13 goals and 20 assists) are nowhere near as dangerous as Nylander, but they are both capable of setting up the star right wing with excellent scoring opportunities.

Defense remains the issue for the Maple Leafs

It seems likely that splitting up Matthews and Marner will allow the team to make sure that it remains dangerous from an offensive perspective.

However, if the Leafs are going to overcome their years of playoff failures, their defense must step up in a huge way.

Currently, the Leafs are in third place in the Atlantic Division and they are set up to meet the second place Florida Panthers in the first round of the playoffs. If the defense can't limit the Panthers offense, it seems unlikely that splitting up Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will allow the Leafs to survive and advance in the playoffs.