Mike Babcock explains why he doesn't want to pair Marner and Matthews.

Boasting some of the best young talent in the National Hockey League gives the Toronto Maple Leafs a lot of flexibility up front, and as a result some have questioned the decisions of head coach Mike Babcock.

Specifically Babcock was asked about his reluctance to play two of the teams most dynamic young stars in Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the same like together. Based on his response it seems fair to say that the decision stems from his confidence in the abilities of Marner.

"I don’t like Marner there as much just because I think Marner can drive a line by himself," said Babcock as per Terry Koshun of the Toronto Sun."

It's a straight forward answer from Babcock, but one that makes a lot of sense, but one has to wonder if he will stick to his guns for the remainder of the season.

[pub]